Faith, Hope, and Love Abide
by brenliz
Summary: Elizabeth has some big changes going on in her life. Luckily, she has a few really good friends to help her through. Title comes from 1 Corinthians 13:13.
1. Chapter 1

A/N Hi Heartie friends! I never intended to start another fanfiction (at least not until one of my other ones was complete), but here we are!

Just a few things:

1\. I don't own these characters, Hallmark does.

2\. The beginning of this chapter may not be what you think it is, so please read the whole thing before you get upset with me :)

3\. I do occasionally take inspiration from questions and musings posted in reviews, so please let me know what you think!

...

Elizabeth leaned against the counter, shaking slightly as she looked at the white stick in her hand, the pink plus sign unmistakable.

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

She was supposed to be excited. She was supposed to find a cute way to tell him that he was going to be a daddy. He was supposed to be there.

Instead, she put on her coat and drove to the cemetery, sinking down on the soft ground where she had stood only a few weeks before as they lowered him into the ground. She placed her hand on the cold stone, feeling the letters carved into its surface—the name of her love, her husband.

"Hi." She took a deep breath, trying to steady her voice and willing the tears away. "I miss you so much."

She shivered as a breeze blew through the trees. There was frost on the grass, and her breath was coming out in puffs. She couldn't stay out in the cold much longer, but she needed to tell him. He needed to know.

"I'm so mad. Not at you. I know this wasn't your fault. But I'm angry that you aren't here. I need you here. None of this is fair." The tears finally came, unrelenting and hot on her cheeks. "That's not what I came here to tell you, though. I came to tell you that I'm pregnant. I know we weren't planning on it, but we made a baby. I don't know if I can do this without you. I never imagined that I would be raising our child alone. I don't want our baby to grow up without you. It's not fair. You and this baby deserve to know each other."

She sat by the grave for a few more minutes as the tears continued to fall and her breathing evened out. The sun set behind her. The evening air grew colder.

She finally returned home, to her house that felt so big, so suffocating. It didn't feel like home without him, but she couldn't bring herself to leave. The memories kept her tethered there.

She curled up with his pillow and fell into a dreamless sleep.

...

She woke up confused and disoriented, just as she had every morning since he died. It took her a few moments to realize the bed was empty. He would never lay beside her again. She inhaled the lingering scent of him on his pillow. She was brought back to the last time she saw him.

_He had complained of a headache that morning, but neither of them thought anything of it. He just took some aspirin and kissed her goodbye before he headed off to work._

_Just before lunchtime, her supervisor had knocked on her office door. She immediately knew something was wrong, just by the fact that her therapy session had been interrupted. It had to be an emergency._

_She remembered little from her drive to the hospital, just that her fingers hurt from gripping the steering wheel so tightly._

_He was in surgery when she arrived. The doctors informed her that he had a ruptured aneurysm and that they were trying to stop the bleeding in his brain._

_Her hands shook as she sat in the waiting room. At some point, Rosie and Lee arrived. They all sat in silence while they waited for more news._

_Finally, a doctor came over, and they all stood. He was out of surgery, but things didn't look good. His brain had been badly damaged by the bleed, and it was very likely that he would never wake._

_They were led to his room and left alone. They prayed over him, all hoping that maybe the doctor had it wrong. Maybe he would open his eyes._

_Rosie and Lee left after a while, giving Elizabeth some time alone with her husband._

_She held his hand, trying to ignore the tubes and wires attaching him to various machines, trying to ignore how pale he looked. She talked to him, telling him he had to come back._

_His parents arrived and sat with her. The doctors checked on him again; there was no change. Together, they made a decision to discontinue life support. He wouldn't have wanted to live that way._

_They prayed over him again as he was disconnected from the machines that were keeping him alive. She leaned over him as his heart slowed and eventually stopped, feeling his last breath leave his lips._

She hadn't cried when it happened—she was in shock—but now she cried as she remembered the moment he left her. She never knew just how much she could cry until he was gone.

It was still surreal that he was gone. They had just celebrated their second anniversary. She never expected that it would be their last. She expected that they would grow old together, watch their children and grandchildren grow up.

Their children. She brought her hand to her stomach, remembering the tiny life growing there. She hated that their baby would never know him, that he would never know their baby.

She finally pulled herself from the bed when she heard a knock at the door.

"Hi." He gave her a tiny smile, unsure of how she would react to his unannounced visit.

She opened the door wider to let him in. She wasn't surprised that he had come to check in on her. He was always thoughtful like that. He hugged her tightly, and she broke down again. He led her to the sofa, rubbing her back as she continued to cry into his shoulder. His heart broke as he watched her.

He was her husband's best friend, knew him before either of them knew her. He was hurting from the loss of him, too.

Without warning, she stood and made her way to the bathroom. He could hear her getting sick. He didn't know what to do, but he felt like he should do something.

"Elizabeth?" He leaned against the doorframe, speaking quietly. "Elizabeth, are you okay? Do you need anything?"

"I'm fine." Her voice was weak and shaky, barely passing through the door. She rested her head in her hands, taking deep breaths and waiting for the nausea to pass.

The sickness brought the baby back to the forefront of her mind. She held her stomach and cried again, for him, for the child who would never know him.

He was leaning against the wall by the door when she finally came out of the room, holding a glass of water.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He couldn't help but notice her eyes were red, and he knew she had been crying.

She gave him a sad smile and nodded as she took the glass from him. She took a couple of small sips and returned to the sofa.

"I'm fine, really. I'm not sick, despite how all of this seems."

"Not sick? What then? Stress?"

"No." She sighed when he sank down beside her, knowing she would need to tell him sooner or later. "I'm pregnant."

"What?"

"I'm pregnant, Jack. I found out yesterday."

"Wow. So, Pat never…?"

She shook her head. "He didn't know. We weren't even trying. I mean, we wanted kids, but we were going to wait until the summer to start trying, after I finished my hours and got fully licensed. I just," she choked back a sob, "I don't want to do this without him."

He put his hand on her back, just lightly, comforting. "Have you told anyone else?"

"Just Pat. I went to…his grave yesterday…to tell him." She wiped her eyes. "I need to tell Lee and Rosie soon, and my family." She took a shaky breath. "His parents, too."

"One step at a time." He handed her the box of Kleenex that was on the coffee table. "I can help you tell them, if you want."

"I think I can do it myself, but thank you."

"How do you feel about it? Being pregnant?"

"Hey, I'm the therapist. I'm the one who's supposed to ask about feelings." They both chuckled, relieving some of the tension that had settled over the room. "But I'm feeling a little bit of everything, I guess. I'm happy about the baby, truly. I mean, this baby is a little bit of Pat and a little bit of me, so how could I not be happy? But I'm angry that he's not here for this. He's supposed to be here for this. I'm sad that the baby will only know Pat through stories. And what if the baby is a boy? He'll need his father. Well, if the baby's a girl, she'll need her father, too. But you know what I mean. This is all just so overwhelming." She slumped over a bit, resting her head in her hands.

"Yeah." Jack didn't know what else to say to her, so he just continued to rub her back to let her know he was there.

That was really all she needed. Someone to listen, someone to be present with her. She leaned into him, her head against his shoulder. He slipped his other arm around her.

Something about that moment brought them both back to the day of the funeral.

_It was cold and cloudy outside, a light dusting of snow lay on the ground. The day looked as miserable as Elizabeth felt._

_She sat in the center of the front row, his parents on one side, Jack, Lee, and Rosie on the other. She stared straight ahead, trying to ignore the casket sitting at the front of the room. Jack held her hand in his. She felt numb; she couldn't cry. She had barely cried since the day she said goodbye to him._

_Meanwhile, Jack struggled to hold back his tears. He had lost his best friend, and he feared that he would lose Elizabeth, too._

_He watched Elizabeth out of the corner of his eye. Her jaw was clenched as Patrick's favorite hymns were sung and various friends and family members spoke about his life._

_When they reached the gravesite, Jack returned to her side. She gripped his hand tightly, as if she would fall over without him there._

_She finally broke when they lowered him into the ground. It was so final, and she realized in that moment that he was really never coming back. They stood there long after the other guests had left, Jack holding her as she cried._

Just like he was holding her now.

Though he was content with his life—he had a good family, good friends, a good job—Jack couldn't help but wish he had someone in his life. Despite the pain that he was seeing Elizabeth go through, he wanted what Rosie and Lee had, what Elizabeth and Patrick had, before…

With Elizabeth still in the circle of his arms, he started to wonder if maybe, _just maybe_.

The thought scared him, and he quickly pushed it away.

She took a shaky breath and pulled back from him slightly. "I'm supposed to go back to work tomorrow."

"Are you ready?"

She shook her head. "I don't think I'll ever be ready. I just don't want everyone looking at me."

"They won't be looking at you."

"You're looking at me."

He leaned back. "What do you mean?"

"Every time you've seen me since Pat… You _look _at me like you're afraid I'm going to break. It's the same way everyone looks at me."

"I don't—"

She scooted back, putting space between them. "Yes, you do, Jack. You look at me like I could fall to pieces at any moment."

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I didn't realize. I certainly don't think that. I guess I'm just afraid of saying or doing something wrong. You're going through an unthinkable situation, and I have no way of understanding what it's like. I mean, I have a bit of an idea because he was one of my best friends, but you were married to him. It's different."

She reached out and touched his hand. "The fact that you recognize that puts you way ahead of most people."

"What do you," he cleared his throat, "what do you need? From me, from anyone."

"I just need you to be here. Rosie and Lee, too. I don't need any of you to say the perfect thing. Just be here."

He nodded. "We can do that."

"Thank you, Jack."

He stayed over for a while longer, just catching up with her and making sure she really was okay.

...

"Hey, man." Lee clapped Jack on the back as he stepped through the door. "Rosie and I missed you at church today."

"Sorry, I meant to let you know. I went to go see Elizabeth." He took a seat on the couch and accepted the glass of water that Lee offered.

"How's she doing? I haven't seen her much since…the funeral."

Jack shrugged. "As well as can be expected, I guess." He took a sip of water. "How are you doing?"

Lee sighed. He and his brother had had the typical disagreements and sibling rivalry growing up, but they loved each other. They were family. "As well as can be expected, I guess," he repeated Jack's words. "Pat was my little brother. I never imagined a time in my life when he wouldn't be there. It's hard. I find myself reaching for the phone to call him or send him pictures of Lorelei doing something cute, and then it hits me all over again."

"Is she still asking about him?"

Lee nodded. "I don't know how to talk to her about it. She's only two and a half, so of course she doesn't understand why she doesn't see Uncle Pat anymore." He took a drink from his own glass. "She's been asking about Elizabeth, too. Rosie keeps trying to get her to come over, but she keeps turning us down."

"Maybe you should just go over there, take Lorelei with you. Elizabeth isn't going to turn you guys away. It would probably be good for all of you."

"Good idea. I'll talk to Rosie about it."

"Uncle Jack!" A toddler ran over, and Jack pulled her into his lap.

"Hi, Lorelei! How's my favorite girl doing?"

"Good!" She wrapped her arms around his neck. "You play with me?"

"I can play with you for a little bit."

She climbed down from the couch and tugged on his hand.

"Daddy, you come too."

Lee chuckled and followed her as she pulled Jack toward her room. Both men sat on the floor where the little girl instructed them.

"She obviously inherited Rosie's need to tell everyone what to do."

Lee rolled his eyes and laughed. "Tell me about it."

Fifteen minutes later, Jack and Lee were sitting around a plastic tea set, wearing sparkly plastic tiaras.

"Lorelei, naptime." Rosemary stepped into the room and burst out laughing. "Oh dear. This is a good look for both of you."

"They pretty, mama!"

"Yes, baby. They look very pretty." She smirked. "Now, can you help clean up so you can take your nap?"

"I not tired."

Rosemary put her hands on her hips. "Lorelei Rose, you tell me that every day, and then every day you fall asleep as soon as you lay down."

"Maybe you can convince Uncle Jack to help put you to bed."

Jack smiled. "Sure, I can do that. I can read you a book, or maybe sing to you."

"Sing!"

"Okay, I'll sing to you, but you need to listen to your mama and clean up first."

Within ten minutes, her room was picked up and she was tucked into bed. Jack sat on the floor beside the crib, holding the little hand she stuck through the bars. He sang quietly until her blue eyes closed and her breathing slowed.

He watched her for a few moments, her dark curls splayed out beneath her, her round cheeks slightly pink.

Lee was reclining on the couch when Jack returned to the living room. "Hey, thanks for the help with her. You didn't have to do that."

"I don't mind. That's what godfathers are for." He sat down, reaching for the glass of water he had left sitting there earlier.

Rosemary brought in a plate of cookies, placing it on the coffee table. "You know, Jack, you'll make a great father someday. You're always so wonderful with Lorelei, I can only imagine how wonderful you'd be with your own child."

A smile played on his face as an image popped into his head of himself holding a tiny baby in his arms. His smile faltered when he realized that the baby in his fantasy looked like Elizabeth.

She wasn't his. Her baby wasn't his.

It wasn't right to think that. He pushed the thought away. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately: pushing thoughts away.

"You okay, Jack?"

He cleared his throat. "Yeah. Fine. Just thinking about something." _Someone_.

Rosemary took a seat next to Lee. "Did I hear you say you went to see Elizabeth this morning?"

"Mhmm. She's doing okay, given everything." He sighed. "I'm worried about her, though. She goes back to work tomorrow."

"Should we do something for her?"

He shrugged. "I figure we could at least check in on her throughout the week."

"I could bring her dinner a couple of evenings."

"Jack also suggested that maybe we take Lorelei over there to visit. If anyone can lift her spirits, it's Lorelei Coulter."

Rosie absentmindedly rubbed Lee's back. "Perfect. Hopefully we can make things a little easier for her."

"Yeah," Jack agreed. "Well, thanks for letting me hang out for a bit. I'd better get going."

"Oh, no. Please stay for dinner, Jack."

"I would love to, Rosie, but I have a bunch of papers to grade." He stood up and headed for the door. "Tell Lorelei I said bye. See you guys later."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Thanks for all the wonderful feedback on chapter 1! (And thank you for sticking it out to the end of the chapter before making any judgments). I have a pretty good idea of where this story is going, but I still haven't worked out a lot of the details on how I'm going to get there, so please feel free to give me ideas of things you might want to see :)

...

After Jack left her house, Elizabeth got back in bed. Pulling the covers up to her shoulders, she picked up her phone and dialed her mom's number, figuring she'd better tell her parents about the baby sooner rather than later.

"Hi, honey. How are you?"

"I'm okay." She wiped her eyes. "Um, mom, I need to tell you and dad something."

"Dad, too? Let me go get him." There was silence for a few moments. "Okay, I have your dad here now."

"Hi, sweetheart. Your mother says you need to tell us something?"

She took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant. I just found out yesterday."

"You're having a baby?" She could hear the joy in her mother's voice.

"Mhmm."

"How far along are you?"

"I haven't gone to the doctor yet to find out for sure, but I think around two months. Pat and I weren't…we weren't trying, so this has been a bit of a shock."

"Well, you know I'm always here for you, honey."

"We both are," her dad added.

"I know. Oh, and please, don't say anything to Julie and Vi. I'm going to tell them later this week."

"Mum's the word."

"Let us know if you need anything. I know we were just there, but we can come down there again if you need us to."

Elizabeth smiled. Even though she had moved away nearly ten years before, her parents had always been willing to drop everything and come to her—and she knew they were the same way with both of her sisters. They had hopped on a plane the minute they heard Patrick was in the hospital, and they were by Elizabeth's side a few hours later just after they had let him go.

"I'm fine right now, but thank you. I'll keep you both updated on everything. I'm going to the doctor this week, then I'll let you know my due date. I definitely want you both here when the baby is born."

"Of course, we'll be there. This is our first grandbaby."

"We're very happy for you, Elizabeth."

"Thank you."

She sank back into the bed after she hung up the phone.

"How am I supposed to do this?" She covered her face. "I don't… I can't…"

She clutched his pillow to her chest and cried herself to sleep once more.

...

Tears filled her eyes when she entered her office and saw the wedding photo on her desk. That day had been full of so much promise, so much hope.

She was thankful for the years they had together, but of course she wished they would have had more time. More Christmases together, more birthdays, more Mondays, even.

When she sat down at her desk, she was transported back to the moment when her supervisor notified her that there was a call for her, an emergency. She quickly shut the door to her office and broke down.

"I can't do this, Pat. I don't know how to go on with my life without you here. Why did you have to leave me?"

She wiped her eyes, trying to compose herself before her first client arrived. She didn't know if she could make it through the day. How could she help people with their problems when she was dealing with so many of her own?

She put the photograph in a drawer and tried to distract herself with the book that was left on her desk until she was notified that her first client had arrived.

...

Jack looked up from his desk, unable to focus on the paper he was grading. All he could think about was Elizabeth.

He knew that she had returned to work that day, and he couldn't help but wonder how she was doing. He couldn't even fathom how difficult it must be for her. She had been at work when she found out Patrick was in the hospital.

He decided to send her a quick text, just to let her know he was thinking of her and he was there if she needed anything.

She responded almost immediately, thanking him for being such a good friend and checking up on her.

Something in his heart twisted when he read the word _friend_. He had always been her friend, _just_ her friend. He couldn't figure out why it suddenly bothered him.

He wondered if maybe it had to do with the way he had felt when she was in his arms, or the picture that had popped into his head at the mention of him being a parent someday.

Before he could stop himself, he dialed her number.

"Hi."

"Hi. Sorry for calling, I know you're probably busy."

"No, I wouldn't have answered if I was busy. It's my lunch break. I don't have another client until one thirty. Did you need something?"

_I needed to hear your voice_, he thought. "No. Just checking again to make sure you're okay."

She sighed. "I'm fine. It's hard being back here, but I need to be here. I can't sit at home wallowing anymore." Her voice got quiet. "I had to put our wedding picture in my drawer. I broke down when I saw it this morning."

Jack's heart broke for her. "I'm so sorry, Elizabeth. That's tough."

"I know it'll take time. I just keep telling myself I need to make it through today. I'll tell myself the same thing tomorrow, and the next day. It actually hasn't been all that bad, though. When I'm with a client, I kind of forget everything that's going on outside of this room. I guess all those lessons about therapeutic presence in grad school are actually paying off."

"Well, that's good. And you know I'm here if you need anything."

"Thank you, Jack. I'm really glad to have you in my life." She sighed again. "So how goes the world of college-professoring?"

"Professoring?" Jack chuckled. "I'm pretty sure that's not a word."

"Whatever. You teach criminal justice classes, not English. You know what I mean."

"It's good. Kind of boring right now, because I have a whole stack of papers to grade."

"Well, that's your own fault for assigning papers." Elizabeth smiled. It felt good to be laughing with Jack, teasing him.

"Touché."

They had always had a light, easy relationship, never really feeling awkward around each other.

Jack couldn't help but think about the first time he met Elizabeth, nearly four and a half years before.

_Jack Thornton had been best friends with Lee and Patrick Coulter since childhood. They grew up together, played on the same Little League Team, were in the same Boy Scout Troop. Throughout college and grad school, they all shared an apartment, which meant that none of them could date someone for very long before the other two met her._

_Lee's girlfriend, Rosie Leveaux, was the one who introduced Patrick to her roommate, Elizabeth Thatcher._

_The first time that Elizabeth came over, Jack could tell that she and Patrick were in it for the long haul. They had been dating for a couple of months at that point, and they were already very clearly in love. _

_Jack was instantly captivated by her. She was beautiful, with her wavy auburn hair and bright blue eyes. When she spoke, he could tell she was intelligent. He could see why Patrick had fallen for her._

_Patrick introduced her as "Lizzy." She called him Pat. She spent the evening with her fingers always resting on him lightly, his shoulder, his knee, his forearm. She laughed easily and quickly found her place in their group. It felt like she had known them all forever._

_They played Settlers of Catan that night, Rosie and Lee versus Elizabeth and Patrick versus Jack. Even without a partner, Jack won easily._

"You still there?" Elizabeth interrupted his thoughts.

"Yeah, sorry, I was just thinking."

"About?"

"The first time I met you, when I crushed you at Catan."

She laughed. "Jack Thornton, you just got lucky that time. Remember that time when I won like three games in a row?"

"It was only two in a row."

"You're just jealous because I'm better at Catan than you are."

He laughed loudly. "I think we need to have a rematch soon."

"Prepare for defeat, Thornton."

"I think I'll prepare for victory instead, thank you very much."

She looked up when her computer chimed. "Shoot, my next client is here."

"Let me know how the rest of your day goes."

"I will. Thanks for checking on me, Jack."

"Always, Beth."

_Beth_. Where did that come from? He had never called her that before. In fact, nobody called her that. Everyone called her Elizabeth, except for Patrick, who almost always called her Lizzy.

Neither of them noticed it until the call had ended, but they both thought about it for the rest of the day.

He called her during lunch again the next day, and the day after, talking about nothing important. Neither of them mentioned his calling her Beth.

...

She lay back on the exam table as the technician prepared the ultrasound machine.

"This might be a little uncomfortable, sorry."

The technician got the transducer in place, and within seconds, an image of Elizabeth's baby was on the screen. It was just a little white spot, but she could make out a tiny head and body and a fluttering heart.

She blinked back tears as she thought about everything that Patrick was missing. She wanted him to experience this. She wanted him to see the image of the child they created together, hear the heartbeat that was evidence of the life growing inside her.

"If you look closely, you can see a little arm right here." The technician pointed at the screen. "And that's a nice, strong heartbeat."

Elizabeth's eyes were glued to the screen as the technician took measurements. There was really a baby in there. She was really carrying a little piece of her husband.

"You said your guess was about two months?"

"Mhmm." Elizabeth nodded.

"Well, you guessed correctly. I'd put you at eight weeks and four days with these measurements, which would make your due date September 20th. Congratulations."

"Thank you."

As she left the doctor's office, she said a silent prayer of thanks that no one had questioned her about the baby's father. She was already dreading the day when she would have to break the news to people outside of her family. She didn't want to face the sorrowful looks she would inevitably get from people when they learned she was carrying her late husband's child.

She sat in her car in the parking lot, looking over the pictures that she had been given. Her lips turned up into a smile. "I can't wait to meet you, little one."

...

She opened the door without checking who was there. She knew it was Jack.

He had been coming to dinner at her house nearly every Wednesday since she and Patrick had gotten married. After Patrick died, he had decided to keep coming. He wanted to keep something consistent in Elizabeth's life.

He hugged her and pressed his lips to her forehead, the same greeting he had given both her and Rosie for years. She would miss it if he ever stopped.

Elizabeth noticed he lingered a bit longer this time, but she didn't press him on it. If she was honest with herself, it felt nice.

"Dinner's in the oven." She led him into the kitchen where she poured two glasses of water, handing one to him.

"It smells delicious."

"Lemon pepper chicken and roasted potatoes and carrots. Sorry there's no wine. I figured there's no reason to have any in the house until after the baby's born." She took a sip of water. "Speaking of, I saw the baby today."

"Really? How was it?"

"It was…" she looked off into the distance as she gathered her thoughts, "amazing, overwhelming. I'm so glad I got to see the baby, but I really hate that Pat wasn't there." She drew her hand to her stomach. "This is his baby, and he's not here for any of it. It isn't fair."

"It isn't fair," he agreed.

"Do you want to see a picture?"

"I'd love to."

She rifled through her purse until she found the photos the technician had given her. She handed the stack to Jack.

"Wow. There's really a baby in there."

"Yeah, there is." She smiled sadly, rubbing her stomach. "My little bit of Pat. He would've loved being a dad."

"He would've been a great dad." He pointed at one of the pictures. "So is that a leg or…?"

She laughed. "Yes, that's a leg. They won't be able to tell if it's a boy or girl for another couple of months."

"Thank you for clearing that up." He chuckled. "I'm going to be the first to guess that it's a boy, though."

"Well, we've got about eleven weeks or so before we can find out if you're right." She started pulling the food from the oven.

"Oh, I'm right." He grinned and reached into the cabinet for plates. "Remember when Rosie told us she was pregnant, and I guessed right away that it was a girl?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "You had a fifty percent chance of being right. That doesn't mean you have a magical ability to tell if a baby is a boy or a girl."

"What if I'm right about yours? Then will you admit I have magical powers?"

She shook her head and laughed. "Never."

...

Elizabeth lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. She had made it through her first week back at work, and she was completely exhausted—both physically and emotionally.

She knew she should get up and clean the house before the Coulters came over. They were her family, and she loved them dearly, but she wished she hadn't agreed to their visit. She wanted to lay in bed all day, doing absolutely nothing.

"Oh, little one," she rested her hands on her stomach, "I'm going to tell some more people about you today. So far, I've just told your daddy, your grandparents, your aunt Vi and aunt Julie, and your uncle Jack. Today, I'll tell your uncle Lee and aunt Rosie and cousin Lorelei. Uncle Lee is your daddy's big brother, and your aunt Rosie is one of my best friends. She actually introduced me to your daddy." She brushed away a tear that had starting rolling down her cheek. "I so wish you could have met your daddy. Even though he never knew about you, I know he loved you very much. We'll all make sure you know how much he loved you."

Eventually, she dragged herself from the bed and quickly cleaned the house.

She was just finishing some dusting when there was a knock at the door. She called out for her visitors to let themselves in.

"Auntie Lizbeth!" Lorelei ran straight to her.

"Hello, sweet girl." She knelt down and wrapped her arms around the toddler. "I've missed you."

"Miss you." Lorelei hung on her neck as Elizabeth lifted her from the floor. "Uncle Pat here?"

Elizabeth felt tears fill her eyes. Rosemary quickly spoke up.

"Remember what we told you, baby? Uncle Pat is gone."

She looked over at her mother. "In heaven?"

Elizabeth brushed her fingers through Lorelei's hair. "Yes, honey. Uncle Pat is in heaven now." She took a shaky breath. "But you know what, Lorelei? Before Uncle Pat left, he gave us all a present so we can remember him."

Lorelei glanced up at her. "What present?"

"A baby."

Rosemary and Lee both looked at Elizabeth, confusion covering their faces.

"Elizabeth? Are you…?"

Elizabeth nodded, putting Lorelei back down and reaching for the photo she had placed on the side table. "I'm pregnant. Nine weeks as of today. I'm due toward the end of September." She traced her finger across the picture. "I just found out last week, so Pat… He didn't know. We weren't trying."

Lorelei pointed her little finger at the ultrasound photo. "Baby?"

"Yeah, honey. This is a picture of the baby that's in my belly right now, your cousin." Elizabeth put her hand on her stomach. "The baby is teeny-tiny right now, but in a few months, he or she will be out here to play with you. You can't even tell that the baby is in my belly right now, that's how tiny it is."

She handed the picture to Rosemary.

"Wow. I just can't believe it. Another Coulter baby." She smiled at Elizabeth. "You're going to be a wonderful mother."

"Thank you, Rosie."

The women couldn't help but notice Lee's eyes filling with tears as he looked at the photo.

"Oh, Lee. What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "Pat wanted to be a father so badly. The day he met you, Elizabeth, he came home, and the first thing he told me was that he knew someday you would be his wife and the mother of his children. And the first time he held Lorelei, he said he couldn't wait until he had a baby of his own."

"He was so excited by the prospect of being a dad. We had decided to start trying this summer, and I'm pretty sure he had a countdown going." She laughed softly. "I'm glad that God had a different plan, though. Not about Pat, I'm still angry about that, but about the baby. At least this way, I'll have a little bit of Pat still with me."

Lee hugged her. "I'm so happy for you, Elizabeth. This baby is such a blessing."

"For all of us," she added.

"Why you crying, daddy?"

Lee picked up Lorelei and kissed the top of her head. "These are happy tears, baby. We're happy that aunt Elizabeth is having a baby."

"Okay." Satisfied with his answer, she snuggled into his shoulder.

Elizabeth felt her heart twist knowing she would never get to see her child like that. But she was so grateful that, even though her baby wouldn't have a father around, there would still be so much love for her child. She may not have Pat anymore, but she still had her parents and sisters, Patrick's parents, Rosie and Lee, and, of course, her best friend Jack.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N Thank you for all the wonderful feedback on this story! I'm really enjoying writing it, so it's nice to know you all are enjoying reading it.

...

Elizabeth took a deep breath before she stepped through the doors of the church. She hadn't been there in over a month, since the funeral. She had expected to be bombarded with sad memories of her friends and family dressed all in black, of a flower-covered casket sitting at the front of the sanctuary.

Instead, she found herself thinking about all the weeks that she sat on the left side of the sanctuary in the fourth pew from the front, always between Patrick and Rosie. She married Patrick in that church. They watched their niece get baptized there. They spent week after week in worship and fellowship.

She took another deep breath and made her way to her usual pew. Jack slid down, so she could sit between him and Rosie. It was different having Jack beside her instead of Patrick. Not good or bad, just different.

Rosie squeezed her hand. "We've missed having you here."

"It was time. I've missed being here."

Lorelei crawled into her lap and hugged her neck. "Auntie Lizbeth!"

She wrapped her arms around her niece. "Hi, honey."

Rosemary chuckled. "Lorelei might have missed you the most."

Jack leaned over. "How are you feeling?"

"Are you talking emotionally or physically?"

He shrugged. "Both, I guess."

She shifted Lorelei in her lap. "It feels kind of bittersweet being here. There are just a lot of memories here, some happy, some sad. Pat and I spent a lot of time here." She brushed her hand across her stomach. "And I feel pretty good physically. I haven't been having the issues with morning sickness as much now that I know what it is. I've figured out some tricks to keep it from getting too bad."

"Well, that's good."

"Uncle Jack." Lorelei climbed over Elizabeth and into Jack's lap.

"Hi, sweet girl." He kissed the top of her head and looked back at Elizabeth. "Just wait until we have your little one crawling all over the pew, too."

She laughed softly, resting her hand on her stomach. "That's a good year away, at least. Hopefully Lorelei will outgrow some of her restlessness by the time this little one is moving around."

"Baby?" Lorelei pointed at her stomach.

"Yeah, honey. Remember I told you that your baby cousin is in my belly?" She patted her stomach.

"Have you told Pat's parents that you're giving them another grandbaby?"

She shook her head. "Not yet. I think I'm going to call them later today. I wanted to wait until I told Rosie and Lee."

"Well, you should tell them soon, before Rosie tells them for you."

Rosie leaned over. "What? Are you talking about me over there?"

Jack chuckled. "I was just telling Elizabeth that she should tell Pat's parents about the baby before you beat her to it."

"Jack Thornton, I don't go blabbing secrets like that to everyone!"

Jack, Elizabeth, and Lee all gave her a look.

"Okay, fine! I admit I'm not the best at keeping secrets." She nudged Elizabeth. "Jack's right. You probably should tell them before I accidentally spill the news."

"I'm telling them today."

"Good."

...

A couple of weeks later, Elizabeth was in the kitchen when there was a knock at the door.

"Come on in, Jack."

He appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. "Hi."

She moved away from the stove to hug him. "Hi."

He pressed his lips to her forehead. "How has your day been?"

"Pretty uneventful." She turned her attention back to the food that was cooking. "I had another prenatal appointment this morning, and half my clients canceled."

"That sounds eventful to me."

She chuckled. "It gets boring when clients don't show. What about you? How was your day?"

"Busy. Midterms are coming up, so I had students coming to me for the entire two hours that I was in my office."

When she turned back toward him, he noticed a strange look on her face.

"Elizabeth? What's going on?"

She was frozen for a moment, silent.

"Elizabeth?" He touched her arm.

"It's nothing. I don't know. Can you keep an eye on the food? I'll be right back." She excused herself from the kitchen and hurried to the bathroom.

Jack stayed at the stove, but he kept glancing at the door. He had no idea what was going on in Elizabeth's mind, and he was left wondering what could have caused her to hurry away. He was suddenly worried that something he said brought back a memory for her. He filtered back through the few things he had said in the five minutes he had been there. Nothing seemed suspect.

He grew concerned when she stepped out of the bathroom, her eyes wide. "Elizabeth? Is everything okay?"

"I… I'm bleeding. The baby. Something's wrong."

"Oh my gosh. Let's get you to the hospital."

He turned off the stove and helped her out to his car.

"Did they mention anything at your appointment today?"

She shook her head. "No. They said everything was okay. They didn't seem concerned at all." Halfway to the hospital, she spoke up again. "Jack, what if… I can't lose his baby. I can't. It's all I have left of him."

"Hey, hey." He reached across the center console and squeezed her hand. "It could be nothing."

"Or it could be something. I could be losing this baby. And it's not like I can just try again." She broke down. "I'll never have another chance to have his baby."

"It'll be okay." He squeezed her hand again, and they were both silent for the rest of the drive.

...

Elizabeth was taken back to an exam room where she was asked question after question. She grew more frustrated with each question. She didn't care about the details; she just wanted to know if her baby was okay.

She stared at the ceiling while the doctor finally examined her. She tried to think about nothing, or about anything other than possibility of losing her baby.

Meanwhile, Jack sat in the waiting room, wringing his hands. His stomach was in knots. Though he had tried to reassure her that everything would be okay, he had to admit that he was also thinking the worst. He couldn't fathom what she was going through. She had lost her husband not even two months before, and now she could be losing her baby.

He held back the tears that started to fill his eyes, and he realized that he wasn't just hurting for Elizabeth. The baby was a way for all of them to keep Pat in their lives, not just her. He had been so happy to learn that his best friend's legacy would live on in a little baby. Sure, they would have memories of Pat, but eventually memories fade.

He prayed harder than he had in years.

What seemed like hours later, a nurse came out to find him. He was led down the hall to her room. The nurse entered before him, making sure Elizabeth was okay with having a visitor.

Of course she said yes.

Jack hesitantly stepped into the room. Elizabeth looked exhausted.

"They wouldn't tell me anything," he sank into the chair beside the bed, "since I'm not family." He almost wished he hadn't corrected the nurse when she assumed he was Elizabeth's husband.

She gave him a tiny smile and reached her hand toward him. He grasped it gently in both of his.

"Everything's fine. I'm fine. The baby's fine, too. I got to hear the heartbeat and everything. They said I should be discharged tonight."

"Oh, thank goodness." He sighed, relieved. "Did they say what it was that caused the bleeding?"

"Yes, but I'll spare you the details." She laughed softly. "It's nothing serious, so don't worry. I guess it's not all that uncommon for some bleeding to happen. Also, I'm almost in my second trimester, and the likelihood of anything going wrong goes down significantly at that point."

"Well, I'm glad that everything is okay."

"Me too." She pulled her hand away, resting it on her stomach. "I don't know what I would do if I lost this baby. Even if Pat were still here, I would be devastated to lose our baby. And the thought of having to tell our families if anything had happened," she took a shaky breath, "it's too much."

"I can't even imagine what you've been going through the past few hours." He shifted in the chair, readying himself to stand. "I should let you rest. I'm sure you're exhausted."

"No, please stay. It might be a bit before they discharge me, and I have nothing to do in here. I don't want to be alone with my thoughts right now."

"Okay. I'll stay." He settled back in the chair. "Did you tell anyone that you're in the hospital?"

"Not yet. I really don't want to tell anyone, because I know they'll just panic. But I also know it'll be worse if they find out later that I didn't tell them." She sighed. "I'll talk to everyone tomorrow, after I'm home and can assure them that everything is okay. Can we talk about something else?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Spring break is coming up for you. Do you have any big plans?"

He shook his head. "Not really. I'll probably drive up to Tulsa and visit my mom, but I doubt I'll stay the whole week. I might see what Tom and Sarah are doing, maybe see if Opal wants to go to the zoo or something."

"That sounds fun. How is Opal? I haven't seen her in a while."

Jack's younger brother, Tom, had married his high school sweetheart, Sarah, right after graduation, and within a year, they welcomed their daughter, Opal. When they moved to Norman a few years prior, they were warmly welcomed by Jack's friends.

"She's good. She's still the smartest kid I've ever met. Tom said the school counselor has talked to them about having her skip second grade." Elizabeth could tell by the look on Jack's face that he was incredibly proud of his niece.

"Wow. That's impressive."

"I bet your kid will be smart like that." He gave her a sweet smile.

"Honestly, after today, all that I care about is that this baby is healthy. Anything else will just be a bonus."

Within the next couple of hours, Elizabeth was discharged, and Jack drove her home. Though he expressed his concern at her being alone that night, she assured him that she would be okay. She finally convinced him to leave with the promise that she would call him immediately if anything alarming happened.

...

After everything that had happened the week before, Jack decided that they needed to change things up for their weekly dinner, something to get their minds off of Elizabeth's short hospital stay and the scare with the baby. He told her to meet him on campus and that the rest would be a surprise.

Elizabeth intentionally arrived earlier than he had told her to so she could wander around campus while she waited for him. Being early evening, there weren't many students milling about. She walked slowly down the South Oval, smiling as she was reminded of all the times she made that same trek between classes. The campus hadn't changed much in the years since she had been a student, but she was still in awe of its beauty.

She stood in front of the massive library, and she just stopped and stared, as if she had never seen that view before. Fluffy white clouds dotted the bright blue sky behind the building. It had always been one of her favorite spots on campus, but it became even more special after she met Patrick.

She rubbed her stomach. "Hi, little one. I figured this was the perfect time to bring you to the place where I met your daddy. I had been studying in the library all afternoon, and your aunt Rosie convinced me to take a break and get something to eat. When I came out here, she was standing there by the statue with your uncle Lee and your daddy. That was the very first time I saw him. I knew right away that he was special."

_Elizabeth sat in the great reading room, books strewn across the table in front of her. She flicked through the pages, trying to find the answer to the last question on her study guide. In the corner of her eye, she saw her phone light up._

_Rosie. Again._

_ "__You need to take a break. I'm bringing dinner at 6. Meet in front of the library."_

_She looked at the time. 5:45._

_She found the answer she needed to finish her study guide and packed up her books and papers, walking out of the library at exactly 6 o'clock._

_Rosie was standing with Lee and someone she had never seen before. He looked a lot like Lee, with the same dark hair and clear blue eyes._

_ "__There you are." Rosemary took her by the arm and pulled her closer. "I hope you don't mind that we brought a guest. Elizabeth, this is Lee's little brother, Patrick Coulter. Patrick, this is my roommate, Elizabeth Thatcher."_

_ "__Nice to meet you."_

_Elizabeth blushed when he shook her hand. "You, too."_

_A few days after that first meeting, he asked her on their first date, and the rest was history._

She brushed a tear from her cheek. Her memories of him had all been tinged with sadness, but she was thankful she no longer broke down completely when she thought of him.

"Elizabeth?"

She sniffled and turned around. "Hi."

"Hi." Jack hugged her. "I finished up early and I thought you might be here."

"You thought right. My favorite place on campus. I've been talking to the baby about Pat, so of course I had to tell the story of when I first met him."

"Oh, that's right. You were on campus when Rosie introduced you two."

She nodded. "He proposed right here, too, in front of the tulips."

"Just a few more weeks before they plant them again."

"I guess I'll just have to come back then." She smiled and took in the view of the campus again. "So where's the surprise dinner location?"

"The caf. Unless you're really opposed to that idea."

She grinned. "No, that's perfect. Let's get over there. We don't want to miss out on the best desserts."

They walked side by side toward the cafeteria that sat on the south side of campus. "The desserts in the caf are basically the only reason I miss living in the dorms and having a meal plan."

"Tell me about it. I still have dreams about the tiramisu." She laughed softly. "Did Pat ever tell you that I tried to convince him to have tiramisu from the caf for our wedding?"

"No. That's amazing." Jack chuckled. "Well, hopefully they have some there tonight."

"Yes, because the baby _really _wants some. I think the baby wants a big plate of pasta, too. And two breadsticks."

"Goodness. That's one hungry baby you've got there, though I guess it makes sense considering how much Pat could put away in a single meal."

"Are you forgetting the time you boys decided to see who could eat the most tacos? I believe you won that little contest, Jack Thornton."

He groaned. "Don't remind me. I felt sick for a whole week after that. It took years before I would eat tacos again."

"I think Pat was back eating tacos the next week." She smiled sadly. "I miss him so much."

"So do I. Maybe I'll have a taco tonight, for Pat."

They both laughed.

...

A/N For anyone wondering, the college campus in this chapter is the University of Oklahoma (OU) in Norman. Boomer Sooner :)


	4. Chapter 4

Jack stepped up to the front door of his childhood home and knocked.

"Well hello, son. It's about time you come visit your mother." She grinned and pulled him into a hug.

"Hi, ma."

"Come on in. I just made a fresh batch of lemonade."

He followed his mother to the kitchen, and she filled a glass for him.

"How have you been, ma?"

"I'm doing well. You would know that if you bothered to come home every once in a while," she teased.

"I know, I know. It's just been busy lately."

She took a sip from her own glass. "Busy with Elizabeth?"

Jack sputtered, wiping the juice that dripped down his chin. "I would say more with work, but yes, I guess I have been spending quite a bit of time with Elizabeth."

"Just as friends or…?" she trailed off.

"Of course, just as friends. What else would it be?"

"Well, I know that she only ever had eyes for Patrick, but I've seen how you look at her, how you look when you talk about her. Do you love her?"

"No!" Jack answered too quickly, too forcefully. He let out a breath. "Well, I love her as a friend, same as I love Rosie and Lee."

"You don't look at Rosie the same way you look at her, son."

He rubbed a hand across his face. "Can we talk about something else?"

"Sure." She gave in so quickly that Jack knew they weren't really done with the conversation. "You say work is keeping you busy. How's it going?"

"Good. I'm glad to have a break."

"Are you still planning to teach that study abroad course this summer?"

"Mhmm." He nodded. "I'm excited to go back. I haven't been to Oxford since I was a student."

Jack had spent a month studying at Oxford one summer when he was a student. Lee and Patrick had been on that trip, too, and some of his favorite memories were made during that time.

"Are you going to stay after the class is over and travel around at all?"

Jack shrugged. He had thought about it, but he had decided against it. He wanted to be close by for Elizabeth, but he wasn't going to tell his mother that. She would probably just start back in on her theory that he was in love with her.

...

Jack lay back on the bed in his childhood room, his arm tucked beneath his head as he stared at the ceiling. He couldn't stop thinking about the things his mother had suggested. As he had thought she would, she brought it up again when they were eating dinner, and then again just before he excused himself for bed. She was completely convinced that he was in love with Elizabeth.

Was he?

Sure, he'd had a crush on her when they first met, but she was already with Pat by then. He never knew her when she was alone. He knew he couldn't be with her, and he got over the crush quickly—or at least he thought he did.

But what about now? Were those feelings resurfacing now that Pat was gone and he really had no reason to push them away? Was it just a crush? Or was it more? If he did have feelings for her, how would that shape his interactions with her? Would she notice if he started acting differently around her?

The questions just kept coming.

He groaned and rolled over. It took hours before he was finally able to drift off.

...

"Uncle Jack!" Opal ran from the car and threw her arms around Jack.

He lifted her up and spun her around. "Hi, sweet pea. Are you excited to go to the zoo today?"

"Yes! I want to see the jaguars and the giraffes."

"The jaguars and the giraffes? Do you want to ride the train, too?"

"Yes! And daddy said I can ride the carousel twice!"

Jack lowered her to the ground. "Twice? Wow! That'll be fun."

"Come on, let's go!" She tugged on his hand.

"Hang on. Why don't we go help your daddy unpack your bags first?"

Tom was lifting suitcases out of the trunk. "About time I get some help." He winked at Jack. "How's it going?"

"Pretty good. I think little Miss is pretty eager to get going."

"Well, little Miss needs to help carry her bag inside and use the bathroom first. Besides, I'm sure nana wants to say hi to you."

Opal hurriedly grabbed her bag and ran toward the house.

Tom laughed. "She's been talking about this zoo trip ever since you suggested it. It's like she's never been to a zoo before."

Jack chuckled. "Sarah couldn't come today?"

"She couldn't get off work. She's coming up tonight, and we're staying until Friday. How long are you planning on staying up here?

They walked toward the house, bags in hand. "Just until Wednesday. I know it's spring break, but I still have some stuff to get done for work."

"Well, at least you're getting a break for a few days."

...

Jack and Tom stood off to the side while Opal rode the carousel.

"So, when are you going to settle down and give Opal a cousin?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "You sound like mom. She's been bugging me for another grandkid. But _she_ seems to think I need to settle down with Elizabeth. She's convinced that I'm in love with her"

"Well, aren't you?"

"No! I don't know." Jack ran his fingers through his hair. "I mean, she's my best friend, and I care a lot about her, but do I _love _her?" He shrugged. "And the whole situation with Pat and the baby, it's just too complicated."

"Wait, what is this about a baby?"

Jack sighed. "She's pregnant, about three months along. She didn't find out until after Pat died. So, see? It's complicated. There's just no point in even seeing if there's something more than friendship there. Even if I did love her, she would never feel the same way."

"I don't know, man. Don't you remember that I was convinced that Sarah couldn't be in love with me? But I took a chance, and look where we are now."

Opal hopped off the carousel and skipped toward them, interrupting the conversation. "That was so much fun!"

"It looked fun, sweets. Do you want to go see the monkeys now?"

Opal looked at him, a serious expression on her face. "Daddy, chimpanzees are apes, not monkeys."

Tom chuckled. "Oh, sorry. Do you want to see the _apes_?"

She nodded, and Jack took her hand as they all walked toward the chimpanzee exhibit. Once they were inside, she pressed her face against the glass, watching as one of the chimps swung its way around the exhibit.

Tom nudged Jack. "I'm not saying you need to go back home and make a move or anything, but don't shut yourself off from the possibility. If you love her, you need to give it a chance. Eventually, she'll reach a point where she's ready to move on, and who knows? Maybe she'll decide she wants to be with you."

"Tom…"

"Just give it a chance."

...

Wednesday evening, Jack sat in his car in Elizabeth's driveway. It had only been a week since he had seen her, but it felt like it had been so much longer.

The conversations with his mom and Tom hadn't really made anything clearer for him, except that he could admit that he felt _something_ for her beyond friendship.

He had no idea what he was going to do when he saw her. He took a deep breath and made his way to the front door.

"Hi." A smile spread across her face when she saw him.

"Hi." He wrapped his arms around her, brushing his lips across her forehead. "How are you?"

"Good." She headed toward the kitchen, not bothering to check if he was following. She knew he was. "How was Tulsa?"

"It was good. Tom and Sarah came up with Opal. I know my mom loved having all of us there."

"I miss your mom."

Jack filled two glasses with water. "She misses you, too."

Elizabeth had come to know Charlotte Thornton well after she had started dating Patrick. Because Pat and Lee had been close to Jack since childhood, Charlotte was like a second mother to them. She was like another mother to Elizabeth as well.

"I keep meaning to call her and tell her about the baby." She sipped her water and took a seat at the table.

"Oh, um…" Guilt covered Jack's face. "I may have told her. She was asking how you were doing, and it just came out. Sorry."

She laughed softly. "You have nothing to be sorry about."

"I told Tom, too."

"I'm honestly surprised they didn't find out sooner." She rested her hand on her stomach. "I can't believe it's already been a month since I found out about the baby. It feels like it was just yesterday, but it also feels like it's been years." She sighed, and her lips turned up into a smile. "I can't wait until this little bug is in my arms."

"Little bug?"

She shrugged. "Sometimes I get tired of just saying 'the baby' or 'little one.' So, little bug it is."

"Just as long as you don't decide to name the baby that."

"Little Bug Coulter. I think it has a nice ring to it." She laughed.

...

Elizabeth looked in the mirror and brushed her hand across the little swell of her belly that had appeared seemingly overnight. "Hi, little bug. I guess you couldn't wait for mama to tell more people about you, so you're going to tell them for me. I can't wait to meet you."

She couldn't feel the baby moving yet, but just being able to see that the baby was growing made it even more real.

She slipped her dress over her head, noting that the loose fabric no longer hid the little bump. She hadn't told anyone outside of her family—besides Jack, though he basically was family—that she was pregnant, but that would clearly have to change.

"Okay, little bug. Uncle Jack should be here any minute to drive us to church. Today is a very special Sunday, one of my favorite Sundays. It's Easter, so we'll have a special church service. And after church, we'll go over to aunt Rosie and uncle Lee's house for a big dinner."

She pinned her hair back and took one last look in the mirror before heading downstairs, just as Jack knocked on the door.

His breath caught in his throat when she answered the door.

"Good morning, Jack."

"Morning, Beth. You look lovely today."

Elizabeth felt a blush rise in her cheeks, though it wasn't out of character for Jack to compliment her appearance. Something about it just felt different this time. "Thank you. You look handsome, yourself."

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah." She slipped her jacket on and locked the door behind them.

"I see baby Coulter decided to make an appearance." He grinned and motioned toward her stomach.

She laughed softly, resting her hand on her belly. "Yeah, I feel like I didn't have this bump yesterday, and now it's just suddenly here."

"How far along are you now?"

"About fifteen weeks. I should be able to find out if it's a boy or a girl in a month or so."

"That's exciting." He opened the car door for her. "Do you have a feeling about what it is?"

She slid into the car and shook her head. "Not really. Some days I think it's a girl and other days I think it's a boy."

"I still say it's a boy."

"Because of your magical powers?"

He laughed. "So you admit I have magical powers?"

"No way. Not even if you're right."

...

Elizabeth sat on the back deck next to Jack while they watched Lorelei run around the yard searching for Easter eggs. She absentmindedly rubbed her stomach, thinking about Easter the previous year.

_Elizabeth and Patrick leaned against the deck railing, looking out into the yard. Rosie was following Lorelei as she toddled around, looking for the Easter eggs that Lee and Jack had hidden earlier in the afternoon._

_Patrick kept his hand on the small of Elizabeth's back, and she leaned into his side._

_ "__Just think, Lizzy. Someday soon, we'll be watching our little one out there searching for eggs."_

_ "__Not _that _soon. I still don't think we should start trying until next summer."_

_ "__I know, and I respect that." He kissed her cheek and lowered his voice. "As much as I can't wait to be a dad, I sure do enjoy all the alone time we get."_

_He winked, and she blushed._

_ "__Patrick Coulter, what am I going to do with you?"_

_ "__I have some ideas, but I probably shouldn't say them out loud while there are other people around."_

_She smacked his arm playfully. "Pat!"_

_ "__You know you love me." He smirked._

_ "__I do." She kissed him softly. "You'll make a great father someday."_

"Elizabeth? Are you okay?" Jack touched her arm, pulling her from the memory.

"Hm?" She glanced over at him. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking." She wiped a tear from her cheek. She hadn't even realized she was crying.

"About Pat?"

She nodded. "Last Easter, he mentioned that someday we'd be watching our child out there with Lorelei." She took a shaky breath. "I keep thinking that I'm doing better, and then something will bring back another memory, and that gets me thinking about everything he's missing."

Jack squeezed her hand. "It'll get easier."

"I know." She turned back toward the yard. Lorelei was giggling as she reached under the bushes for an egg. "Hey, Jack?"

"Yes?"

"I just want to say thank you for being there for me the past couple of months. It means more to me than you could ever know."

In that moment, Jack's feelings became clear.

...

A few days later, Jack found himself knocking on the door of Rosie and Lee's house.

"Hey, Jack. Lee's not home right now."

"I know. I need to talk to you about something." He was wringing his hands, clearly nervous about whatever it was he needed to discuss.

"Okay…" She ushered him into the house, completely unsure as to what he was going to bring up.

Jack sank down onto the sofa, covering his face with his hands. "I don't know what to do, Rosie. I love her."

"Elizabeth?"

He nodded in response, letting out a harsh breath.

"And?"

"He was my best friend. She's _pregnant with his baby_. I couldn't do that to him."

"How long?"

"How long what?"

She chuckled. "How long have you felt this way?"

He shrugged. "Forever, I think." He ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't really know. I didn't realize it until a few weeks ago. Goodness, I'm a horrible person." He covered his face again. "She's still _grieving_. It's only been a few months since she lost her husband, and here I am, wanting her to be with me."

"It's not like you're pushing her for anything."

"But the thing is, I don't know how much longer I can spend time with her _without_ pushing her for more. I see her, and all I want to do is kiss her."

"Does she know how you feel?"

"Goodness, no! She can't know. That could ruin everything. I don't want to scare her away."

She reached over and touched his hand. "But what if she feels the same way?"

Jack shook his head. "She couldn't. She's still getting over Pat. There's no way she's even thinking about the possibility of being with anyone else, let alone with _me _specifically."

Rosie shrugged. "You never know, Jack. Love doesn't follow rules."


	5. Chapter 5

Elizabeth knocked on Jack's door, and it was opened a few moments later by Opal.

"Hi, Mrs. Coulter." She turned back into the house. "Uncle Jack! Your girlfriend is here."

Elizabeth stiffened, wondering if Jack had told his niece that there was more to their relationship than there actually was. She didn't know how she felt about that.

"She's not my girlfriend, Opal." He came into the room and looked at Elizabeth apologetically, mouthing the word "sorry."

Elizabeth just smiled and walked into the house, still trying to decide how she felt about being mistaken for Jack's girlfriend.

"Well, she's your friend and she's a girl, so wouldn't that mean she's your girlfriend?"

Jack put his hand on Opal's shoulder. "I hate to break it to you, sweet pea, but that's not what a girlfriend is."

"Oh. Is dinner ready?"

Jack chuckled. "Almost. You need to finish your homework while we wait for dinner to finish cooking."

"Okay." She took a seat on the floor and flipped through the book on the coffee table.

"Can I help you with anything?" Elizabeth took a step toward him.

"I'm not sure if there's anything left to do really, but you can come with me if you want."

She followed him into the kitchen.

He peeked into the oven. "Thanks for letting us change the dinner plans last minute. Tom and Sarah didn't give me much of a heads up when they asked me to watch Opal."

"It's no problem. How long is she staying with you?" She took a seat at the counter.

"Until Saturday." He leaned against the counter and met her eyes. "I'm sorry about what she said earlier. I hope it didn't make you uncomfortable."

Elizabeth shook her head. "It's fine. I'm around kids all day, so I'm used to it. They have no filter."

"I promise that I haven't said anything to her to make her think that we're more than friends."

She reached across the counter and squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I believe you. Really, it's okay, Jack."

He let out a sigh of relief. "Okay." As much as he wanted to be more than friends with Elizabeth, he didn't want to make her feel like he was pressuring her. He couldn't risk their friendship.

He also couldn't help but feel disappointed when she pulled her hand away.

"Do you need me to set the table?"

"You don't have to, but you can."

He watched her as she moved around the kitchen, reaching for plates and silverware. Every once in a while, she brushed her hand against her stomach, and a smile played on her face.

She glanced over and met his eyes. He dropped his gaze and felt a flush rise in his cheeks.

He cleared his throat. "I think dinner is probably ready."

...

Opal looked up from her plate. "Can we all play a game after dinner?"

"Sure."

"Do you have an Uno deck? I can teach you how to play therapy Uno."

"Is that something with feelings?"

Elizabeth chuckled. "Maybe." Jack rolled his eyes and laughed, and she reached out and smacked his arm lightly. "Hey, it's important to be able to express your feelings and discuss them with other people."

His stomach fluttered. He knew she wasn't talking about his feelings for her, but that was all he could think of.

"Don't worry, it doesn't really get deep or personal unless you want it to." She spoke as if she could read his mind.

...

"Okay, so how exactly does 'therapy Uno' work?"

Elizabeth shuffled the deck and dealt the cards while she explained the game. "It's just like regular Uno, but if you change the color, you say a time you felt a certain emotion. Red is angry, green is happy, blue is sad, and yellow is anxious or nervous."

"Okay. That doesn't sound too bad."

"Opal, do you want to start?"

She nodded excitedly. They went around the circle a couple of times before Jack changed the color.

"Green. So a time I felt happy… I felt happy when Opal was born, and I became an uncle." He grinned at her and ruffled her hair.

She giggled. "I'm happy you're my uncle."

They continued playing. Opal said she was sad when her friend moved away. Elizabeth said she was nervous when she took the exam to get her counseling license. Jack said he was sad when Pat died. Elizabeth switched the color back to green and said was happy when she felt her baby move for the first time.

Fifteen minutes later, Elizabeth played her last card.

"No fair. You've had more practice at this."

She just shrugged and laughed. "I think you're just a sore loser, Jack Thornton."

"We'll have a rematch one of these days."

"We still need to have a rematch at Catan."

"That's right." He laughed softly. "Opal, I think it's time for you to get ready for bed. I'll be in to read you a story in a minute."

"Okay, Uncle Jack. Good night, Mrs. Coulter." She skipped off to the guest room.

Jack turned back toward Elizabeth. "You never told me you felt the baby move."

"Yeah." She rested a hand on her stomach. "I felt it for the first time last week. It's mostly just flutters right now, but it's already getting stronger."

"That's amazing."

"Mhmm." She smiled and stood up from the sofa. "Well, I should probably get home."

"Elizabeth, before you go, I have a favor to ask you, if it's not too much."

"Go ahead."

"I have a meeting at work on Friday afternoon, and I won't be able to pick up Opal from school."

"You need me to pick her up?"

He nodded. "It would be a big help."

"I have a doctor's appointment on Friday, but she can come with me if she doesn't mind."

"Are you sure? I can find someone else to get her if it's too much."

"No, it's fine. Her school is on the way to my doctor's anyway. We can just meet you at Rosie and Lee's after my appointment, unless you'd rather me drop her off here."

"Rosie and Lee's is fine. Thank you, Elizabeth. I owe you one." He nudged her with his elbow.

"In that case, can I ask you a favor in return?"

"Go for it."

"One of my coworkers is getting married at the end of the month, and, um, I would rather not go to the wedding alone. I know it's kind of last minute, but would you be able to go with me?"

"I'll have to check my schedule, but I'll definitely go with you if I'm not busy."

"Just let me know. Thank you, Jack." She hugged him. "And thanks for dinner tonight."

...

Jack pulled the covers over Opal.

"Uncle Jack, are you mad at me for calling Mrs. Coulter your girlfriend?"

He brushed the hair from her forehead. "No, sweet pea. It was just a misunderstanding. Elizabeth is a good friend, nothing more."

"But I heard daddy and nana saying that you love her."

Jack froze. "What?"

"When we were staying at nana's house. I heard daddy and nana talking about you in the hallway. They asked why you couldn't admit that you love her."

_Of course_, he thought. Though what Opal had overheard was the truth, Jack couldn't help but be upset that his family had been discussing his relationship with Elizabeth—or lack thereof—behind his back.

"Okay. I'm about to tell you a secret. Can you promise me that you won't tell anyone, especially not Mrs. Coulter?"

She nodded eagerly. "I promise."

Jack sighed and ran his hand across his face. "Your daddy and nana were right. I do love her, but she doesn't feel the same way about me. That's why we're just friends."

"Why doesn't she feel the same way about you?"

Jack shrugged. "I don't know. Sometimes, feelings are complicated. Her husband died a few months ago, and it can take a while for someone to be ready to love someone else like that. And sometimes they aren't ever ready to love someone else."

"Like nana?"

He nodded. "Kind of like nana. She never fell in love with anyone after my dad, your papa, died."

"Does it make you sad that Mrs. Coulter isn't your girlfriend?"

"I think that's enough questions for tonight. You have to be up early for school tomorrow." He kissed her forehead. "Night, sweet pea."

...

As Jack lay in bed, struggling to find sleep, he found his mind drawn to memories of the night almost three years before, when Lorelei was born.

_He sat in the waiting room with Elizabeth and Patrick. Their hands were intertwined, and Jack's gaze caught the sparkle of the diamond on Elizabeth's finger. The engagement had happened only a few weeks before._

_Jack was genuinely happy for his friends; two of them welcoming a new life into the world, and two of them committing to a life together. At the same time, however, he felt like he was missing out on something._

_His thoughts were interrupted when Lee entered the room, a grin plastered on his face. He announced that Lorelei Rose Coulter had arrived, healthy and perfect._

_Not long after that announcement, Jack found himself standing in a hospital room while they all took turns holding the sleeping bundle._

_When Elizabeth snuggled the baby close, he noticed a look pass between her and Patrick, and he knew they were thinking about the day when they would bring their own child into the world._

Jack's eyes burned with tears. He was upset that his best friend would never experience fatherhood or have a chance to meet his child. He was upset that Elizabeth's dreams of a family with Patrick had been shattered.

He was even more upset with himself for wishing that _he _could fill the space that Pat's death had left in Elizabeth's life.

When sleep finally found him, he dreamt that it was _his _ring on Elizabeth's finger, _his _baby in her arms.

...

Friday afternoon, Elizabeth stood beside her car outside of Opal's school. She only had to wait a few minutes before Opal came barreling in her direction.

"Hi, Mrs. Coulter!" The young girl hugged her.

"Hi, Opal. How was school?" She opened the car door to let Opal in, making sure she was properly buckled into the booster seat she borrowed from Jack.

"Good. We're learning about the solar system."

"That's exciting." Elizabeth slipped into the driver's seat. "So, you remember that I have to take you with me to a doctor's appointment, right?"

"Mhmm. I brought a book to read there so I'm not bored."

Elizabeth chuckled as she pulled out of the parking lot. "You might not get bored. I'm having an ultrasound at this appointment, so we'll get to see the baby."

"Really?"

"Yes, and hopefully, they'll be able to tell if the baby's a boy or a girl."

"How can they tell?"

"Well…" Elizabeth paused for a moment, trying to choose her words carefully. "You know how boys and girls have different private parts? They can see those on the ultrasound."

"I hope your baby is a girl. Boys are yucky."

Elizabeth stifled a laugh. "Your daddy and Uncle Jack are boys."

"But they're grown-ups," she stated matter-of-factly.

"Someday, you won't think boys are yucky. You might even have boys as friends, just like I'm friends with your Uncle Jack."

"I still hope your baby is a girl."

...

"Well, who is this?"

"I'm Opal!"

Elizabeth laughed softly as she got up on the exam table. "This is my friend's niece. She's hanging out with me for a little while this afternoon."

"It's nice to meet you, Opal."

"Nice to meet you, too."

Opal set her backpack on the floor and sat in one of the chairs beside the wall.

"You can sit over here if you want. You'll be able to see the screen better." The technician pointed to a chair closer to her.

Opal moved to the other chair, an eager smile on her face as she waited for the image to appear on the screen.

She didn't have to wait long. The technician squirted the gel on Elizabeth's stomach and found the baby with the wand. She answered some of Opal's questions while she took various measurements of the squirmy baby.

"This one is a little wiggle worm, huh?"

Elizabeth chuckled and nodded, watching the baby shift around on the screen. "Can you tell if the baby is a boy or a girl? Or is it moving around too much for that?"

"Let me just go at a different angle here, and we can see." The technician moved the wand around so they were seeing the lower half of the baby. "I think I'll be able to get a clear image. If you don't want to know the sex, I would turn your head now."

Elizabeth shook her head. "I want to know."

She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt while the technician moved the wand over just a bit. Though she wasn't trained in reading sonograms, Elizabeth would have guessed that the baby was a boy. She was right.

"It's a boy. He's very clearly a little boy."

Elizabeth immediately felt tears fill her eyes. A son. She would have been happy either way, but she had to admit that part of her was hoping for a boy. She would have a little Patrick.

"So you can see his boy parts?" Opal squinted at the screen, trying to figure out what the technician was seeing.

She laughed and pointed at the screen. "Yes. Right there." She took a few more measurements. "Everything looks good here. He's growing well, and he looks nice and healthy. I'll get you some pictures and you can get cleaned up."

"Thank you."

...

Jack leaned against the deck railing, watching Lorelei chase after Lee.

Rosemary sidled up beside him. "Have you talked to Elizabeth?"

"Yes, I've talked to her, but I assume you're asking about something in particular."

"Feelings. _Love_."

Jack felt his face heat up. "No, I haven't talked to her about that. I can't. At least not now. She needs me as her friend right now, and I can't do anything to risk that." He sighed. "I'll tell her eventually. I promise. I just don't see a point in telling her until I know she's open to another relationship."

"How do you know she's not open to that?"

Jack thought for a moment. "Well, I don't, really. But think about it. It's only been four months since Pat died. Do you think she would move on that quickly?"

Rosemary shrugged. "For you, maybe."

"Rosie, please don't push this. I'm trying not to get my hopes up." He sighed. "I want to tell her, I do. But now isn't the time."

Before Rosemary could respond, Opal came bounding through the back door. Elizabeth wasn't far behind.

"Sorry we didn't knock."

"That's fine." Rosemary hugged her. "You know you're always welcome to come right in."

"And sorry we're late." She pulled the small stack of pictures from her purse. "I came straight from the doctor. I had another ultrasound today. Opal got to experience all that fun." She grinned at the young girl before returning her gaze to the photos she held. The corners of her lips turned up as she looked at the picture at the top of the stack. She traced the outline of the baby, her _son_.

She handed a picture to each of her friends.

"Did you find out what it is?" Rosie glanced over at her expectantly.

"Mhmm." Elizabeth nodded. "Do you want to tell them, Opal?"

"It's a boy."

Elizabeth ran her hand over her belly and lowered her voice. "A little Pat."

"That's wonderful, Elizabeth." Rosie grinned. "Does he have a name yet?"

"Well, the moment I found out I was pregnant, I knew I'd include Patrick somewhere in the name if it was a boy. I think that will be his middle name." Her face dropped, just a little. "But I haven't been able to decide on a first name yet. It just doesn't feel right to be choosing a name without Pat's input. We had talked about having kids, but we never really discussed names."

"You still have time."

"Yeah." She rubbed her belly. "I just can't wait to meet him."

Jack nudged her with his elbow. "So I was right, huh?"

She laughed. "Pure luck, Thornton."

"If by 'luck' you mean 'magical powers.'"

She rolled her eyes. "That's not what I mean at all."

"Well, magical powers or not, I'm happy for you, Beth."

"Thank you."

...

Jack left with Opal, and Lee offered to put Lorelei to bed, leaving Rosemary and Elizabeth alone in the living room.

"Elizabeth, can I ask you something?"

"If I said no, would that stop you?"

"Probably not, so I'll just ask you anyway. Do you have feelings for Jack?"

Elizabeth was taken aback. "What? Of course not! Why would you think that?"

"It's a valid question. You've been spending a lot of time with him lately, more than you did when Pat was around. And I heard him mention that he's going to a wedding with you next month."

"It's only been four months since I lost Pat. I'm _carrying his baby_. I'm not in any position to start up a new relationship."

"That has nothing to do with having feelings for Jack."

"I really don't have feelings for him, Rosie. Not right now, at least." She let out a harsh breath. "Maybe someday, there could be something more there. For now, he's just my best friend, and that's all I can handle."

"But there's a possibility?"

"Someday in the future, _if_ I reach a point where I'm ready to be with someone else, yes. I guess there's a possibility that Jack could be that person. And before you say it, I know that he has feelings for me."

"Did he tell you that?"

She shook her head. "He didn't have to. He's been different. Nothing big has changed, but there are all these subtle things, like when he hugs me just a bit longer than he used to or the way he looks at me. And he's so quick to correct people who assume we're more than friends, but it feels like he does it more for my sake than for his own, like he doesn't like admitting we aren't together."

Rosemary looked at her knowingly.

"What's that look for?"

"I don't know when, but I have a feeling that you two will get together someday."

...

"Hi, Pat." Elizabeth carefully lowered herself to the ground beside the cold stone. "I can't believe you've been gone for four months. So much has changed since you left me. Our baby is getting big, which means I'm getting big, too." She let out a quiet laugh. "He's perfect and healthy. He's been kicking me all night long for the past few nights. I just found out it's a boy at my appointment yesterday. Our son, Pat. We're having a little boy. He's going to be named after you, his middle name, at least. I wish you were here to help me pick his first name." She sighed. "I've already been telling him stories about how wonderful his daddy was, and I know all our friends and family will make sure he knows about you, too."

She dragged her fingers through the grass, trying to collect her thoughts.

"Speaking of our friends, Jack is starting to have feelings for me, and Rosie is convinced that he and I will get together. I told her I don't have feelings for him, but truthfully, I don't know how I feel. I just lost you. It's too soon to be feeling something for someone else, isn't it?"

Jack walked down the path between the graves. When he neared the stone reading "Patrick Coulter," he noticed Elizabeth sitting in the grass beside it. He approached slowly, not wanting to interrupt her.

She looked up when she heard footsteps coming closer. "Jack?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."

"No, it's fine." She shifted her legs, making room for him beside her. "I didn't know you came here."

He shrugged. "Sometimes I need to air my thoughts to someone who isn't going to talk back."

"I know what you mean." She laughed softly, then sighed. "I just come here to tell him everything that's going on. It just feels wrong that he isn't here for everything. It's only been four months, but he's already missed so much." She wiped a tear that slipped from her eye. "He should've been with me yesterday to found out our baby is a boy. He should be helping me pick a name and plan the nursery."

"I know. It's not fair." He put his hand on her back, gently, comforting.

"Our son deserves to know his father." Her hands cradled her belly.

He nodded in agreement. "He does. We'll make sure he knows about him, Elizabeth."

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Thank you. I'm really glad little bug will have his Uncle Jack."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N Thanks for the kind feedback on this story! I love getting to see the things that you guys like :)

...

"Now remember, this isn't your puppy, sweet pea. It'll live at my house, but you can come over and visit it." Jack helped Opal from his car.

"Maybe you can tell mommy and daddy to get me a puppy for my birthday. It could be friends with your puppy."

Jack chuckled. "I'll try to convince them, but no promises."

He took her hand, and they walked into the animal shelter.

While Opal had been staying with him, she had mentioned several times that he should get a dog. He had been wanting one for a while, but never had the motivation. When Opal had suggested it, he figured it was as good a time as any.

Opal was immediately drawn to a shaggy black and white puppy who came right to the front of her cage. "This one, Uncle Jack!"

"You don't think we should look at any other ones?"

She shook her head. "No. This one is perfect. She's so fluffy."

The puppy stuck her nose through the cage, trying to lick Opal's hand.

"She is very cute." Jack knelt down and held his hand out. The puppy sniffed his fingers and let out a little bark. "Okay, sweet pea. I think you picked a good one."

A few hours later, Jack was standing out in his backyard watching Opal and the yet-to-be-named puppy chase each other.

Tom walked over and handed him a glass of water. "So, a puppy. Any reason why you got one now?"

Jack shrugged. "I've wanted a dog for a while, and Opal kept bringing it up when she was staying with me."

"You sure it's not because you're trying to find something to distract you from your unrequited love?"

He sighed. "I'd be lying if I said that wasn't at least a little bit of the reason behind it."

"How is she?"

"I think she's doing better. She seems happier lately. I mean, she's obviously still grieving, but she talks more about the future now." He took a drink of water. "She found out a couple of weeks ago that the baby's a boy."

Tom nodded. "Opal told us."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot she was with Elizabeth when she found out." He ran his thumb through the condensation on his glass. "She never said anything, but I think she was hoping for a boy."

"And what about you?" Tom took a sip from his own glass. "What were you hoping for?"

"A boy, but it's not my baby, so it doesn't even matter."

"Man, you've got it bad, big brother."

He rubbed his hand across his face. "I wish I didn't. Or I wish I could tell her how I feel without risking our friendship. I love her, and everyone knows except her. Even Opal knows!" He let out a harsh breath. "I didn't even feel this strongly about Katie, and I was close to buying her a ring."

Katie was Jack's college girlfriend. They had dated for two years and had even discussed a future together, but she wanted to leave and he wanted to stay. They broke up just before graduation, a few years before Jack met Elizabeth.

"Dude, you just need to tell her. You're going to drive yourself crazy."

"I can't, Tom. At least not right now. She means way too much to me. If it's going to happen, it needs to be in her time, not mine."

"Whatever you say." He clapped him on the back. "I should probably get Opal home before Sarah wonders what's taking so long. Thanks for watching her today."

"Anytime."

Tom gathered her things and called her over. Jack walked them to the door.

Opal wrapped her arms around him. "Bye, Uncle Jack."

He hugged her back. "Bye, sweet pea. Thanks for helping me pick a puppy."

"Bye, big brother."

Jack gave him a wave.

Just before he closed his front door, he heard his brother call out, "just tell her already!"

Jack chuckled and shook his head. "No way, man," he called back. He turned back into the house, the puppy at his heels. "Well, it's just you and me now."

...

Elizabeth entered the room, finding herself face-to-face with her husband.

"Pat?" She stood frozen for a moment, confused. He looked the same as he always had: dark hair and deep blue eyes, wearing jeans and a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, but she felt like there was something wrong, something different.

"Hi, Lizzy." He gave her a crooked smile, breaking her from her trance.

She ran to him, throwing her arms around his waist. "I missed you, Pat. So much."

He lifted her from the ground and spun her around, kissing her deeply. "I missed you, too. My beautiful Elizabeth." He took her face in his hands, resting his forehead against hers, and they stood in silence for a few moments, just gazing at each other.

She felt tears in her eyes. "You've been gone for so long. You've missed so much." She led him across the room to a crib. She scooped up the little baby, accidentally waking him in the process. He began to fuss, but quieted when he realized he was in his mother's arms.

"Oh, Lizzy, look at him!" He stroked the baby's cheek. "He's really ours?"

She nodded. "Our son." She passed the baby to him.

"I'm sorry that I wasn't there."

"That's okay. I know you would've been there if you hadn't…" She trailed off with her sudden realization.

"If I hadn't what?" He looked up at her as he gently bounced the baby, just the hint of a smile touching his lips.

She knew why something felt off. "You aren't supposed to be here, Pat. You died. How are you here?"

"I'm always here."

"This isn't real. You're gone."

He lowered the baby back into the crib, reaching out to touch her cheek. "I'm so sorry for leaving you. You know I never would have chosen this. You were the best thing in my life, Lizzy." He carefully pulled her into his arms as she started to cry. "Shh, I'm here." He lifted her chin to meet her eyes. "I want you to be happy, Elizabeth. If I had been able to say one last thing to you, that would be it. I love you, and you deserve all the happiness in the world, you and our son."

"I can't do it without you, Pat. He needs you. _I _need you."

He shook his head. "You'll both be fine. You're so strong, Lizzy. And remember, you're never alone. You can pray, you can talk to me, you can talk to our friends and family. You can do this."

Before she could respond, he faded away, leaving her alone all over again.

She woke with a start, tears stinging her eyes and coating her cheeks. She rolled to her side and cradled her stomach with both hands. _It was just a dream. He's gone. He's not coming back._

She shuddered as she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, hoping to see him in her dreams once again.

After half an hour of being unable to find sleep, she groaned and sat up.

She turned on the lamp beside the bed and opened up the drawer in his nightstand, carefully pulling out his Bible. She had forgotten he kept it there. It was well-worn, having been used since he was in middle school.

She flipped through the pages until she reached the place marked with a folded piece of paper. He had underlined a few phrases on the page: _seek justice, love kindness, walk humbly with your God_.

She set the Bible aside and unfolded the sheet of paper, curious as to what he had been using as a bookmark. Her hands shook and tears filled her eyes when she realized it was a handwritten copy of the vows he had spoken to her at their wedding.

She clutched the paper to her chest, letting her tears fall.

"That's it. That's his name. Micah Patrick Coulter." She whispered the name and felt the baby move inside of her. She wiped her eyes and looked up. "Thank you, Pat."

He had helped her choose a name, after all.

...

"Hi, Jack." She turned the phone on speaker and set it on the nightstand while she organized the pile of baby items she had dumped on her bed.

"Hi. I'm bringing dinner tonight, okay?"

"You don't have to do that."

"I know, but I'm doing it anyway."

She heard a yipping in the background. "What's that noise? Did you forget to mention something?"

"Oh, yeah. Opal convinced me to get a puppy." He chuckled.

"Bring the puppy with you tonight."

"Are you sure? She chews on everything."

She started folding the pile of clothes. "Yes. Just bring a chew toy for her or something. I want to see her."

"Okay, I'll bring her. And dinner. I'll see you soon in about an hour?"

"I'll be here."

Elizabeth opened the front door when she heard his car pull up. He couldn't help but grin when he saw her waiting for him.

He lowered the puppy to the ground, and she bounded over to Elizabeth and started licking her toes. Jack was close behind, carrying a foil-covered baking dish and a canvas bag.

"Wow, she's adorable. What's her name?" Elizabeth crouched down and scratched the little puppy between the ears.

"Well, Opal's initial name suggestions included Junebug and Princess, but we finally settled on Luna."

"As in Luna Lovegood?" Elizabeth picked up the puppy and carried her into the house. "Please tell me you didn't name her after a character from _Harry Potter_."

"So what if we did? _Harry Potter _is awesome. I've been reading them with Opal when she comes to visit." He set the dish and bag on the counter. "Besides, Taylor Swift can name her cats after fictional characters, so I should be able to do the same with my dog."

"I can't believe you know that."

"Opal is going through a phase where she only wants to listen to Taylor Swift. I probably know more about her than you do. Not to mention, I can do a mean rendition of _Shake It Off_."

She laughed. "I'm going to need to see that sometime."

He winked. "Not a chance." He turned on the oven and started pulling things from the bag. "I brought lasagna, salad, and bread. The lasagna is almost ready, it just needs to go in the oven for a few more minutes to melt the cheese on top."

"It smells delicious. I've actually been craving lasagna today."

He met her eyes and smiled. "So I guess I chose wisely."

...

Elizabeth took a bite and let out a little moan. "So good, Jack. I may just request that you start making dinner every Wednesday."

"I will, if you want." _I'll do anything for you_, he wanted to add.

She chuckled. "I'm kidding about every week. But, maybe once a month?"

"Sure, just let me know when."

"Oh, I'm changing the subject, but I need to tell you before I forget. I finally decided on a name for the baby last night."

"You did? You should've started with that news." He put down his fork and looked at her expectantly.

"Sorry, I was distracted by your news that you spontaneously decided to get a puppy."

He rolled his eyes playfully. "It wasn't completely spontaneous, but that's another conversation. So, what's the little man's name?"

"Micah." She dropped her hands to her stomach, feeling her son kick inside of her. "His name is Micah Patrick Coulter."

"Micah. That's a great name."

A smile touched her lips. "And it actually was like Pat helped me pick it."

"Really?"

She nodded and proceeded to tell him about how Patrick had shown up in her dream, how she felt the urge to find his Bible when she woke up, how there was a copy of his vows stuck in the book of Micah.

"That's amazing, Elizabeth. What a great story you'll get to tell him someday."

She gave a sad smile. "It's hard knowing that Pat's not here for any of this—that he _won't be_ here for any of this—but I love that it still feels like he's helping out in some way."

Jack reached across the table and squeezed her hand once before letting go. "You're really good at that."

"At what?"

"Finding the good in every situation."

She shrugged. "I hear horrible stuff at work all the time, so I can't just come home and dwell on the negative in my own life."

Jack felt a lump in his throat. He wanted to tell her. He was so close to telling her.

He didn't tell her.

...

He wanted to tell her again the next week when he picked her up to take her to her coworker's wedding. She came down the stairs in a light blue dress dotted with pink flowers. The dress flowed around her belly, clearly showing how much the baby had grown. Her hair was in soft curls, pinned up on the sides.

It was all Jack could do to keep himself from shouting 'I love you!'

Instead, he quietly said, "you look beautiful," as they walked out to the car.

The corners of her mouth turned up, and her cheeks colored. "Thank you."

During the ceremony, he kept his arm on the seat behind her, not quite touching her back. At one point, she shifted in her chair, and his fingers brushed against her shoulder. It was like a jolt of electricity shot through his arm.

During the reception. she introduced him to her coworkers as "my best friend, Jack," and each time, he felt like a knife was being twisted in his heart. He wanted desperately to be more than her best friend.

When most of the guests started moving to the dance floor, Jack looked over at her.

"Do you want to…?" He nodded toward the couples swaying in the center of the room.

She hesitated for a moment. She had never danced with anybody except for Patrick and her father. Moreover, she knew that Jack's feelings toward her had changed. What would it mean for her to dance with him? She took a deep breath.

"Sure." She slipped her fingers into his outstretched hand, and he led her to the edge of the dance floor.

He tightened his hold on her hand, noticing how right it felt to have her fingers in his. He kept his right hand on her upper back, not daring to venture any lower to her waist.

She was thankful that her stomach kept them from getting too close. She was still unsure of her feelings toward him, and she didn't need anything to complicate things even further.

They talked quietly as they danced. She laughed when he made a joke, and he reveled in the way her eyes lit up.

He held her a bit tighter, wishing he never had to let her go.

Jack expected her to drop his hand when the song ended. He was pleasantly surprised when she requested to stay on the dance floor for another song, then another.

She was flushed when they finally returned to their table. "Are you ready to go?"

"I'm ready if you are."

They gathered their things, and she slipped her arm through his as they walked to the car. He couldn't keep the smile off his face.

...

He put the car in park and turned to face her. "I just remembered I have something for you."

Elizabeth looked at him curiously. "For me? Why?"

"Well, technically it's for Micah." He reached into the back seat and pulled out a small gift bag. "It's nothing big. I just saw those and thought they were cute."

She took the bag from him and peeked inside. A smile spread across her face. "Of course." She held up the onesie, crimson with a white OU printed on the front. She lifted the other object from the bag, an OU pacifier clip with a red and white ribbon. "These are perfect. Thank you, Jack."

"You're welcome. I figured the little man needed something to wear during football season."

"He'll be the cutest little Sooner fan around. I'll be sure to put him in this when he watches his first game." She chuckled when she felt the baby kick. "I think he knows we're talking about him." She reached for his hand and placed it on her stomach. "Feel that?"

He glanced up at her with a grin when a little foot pressed against his hand. "There he is. Hi, Micah. I'm your Uncle Jack."

"He doesn't usually move this much. He must like your voice."

"Or he hates it, and kicking is his way of trying to get me to leave," he joked as he pulled his hand away.

"I doubt it."

She laughed quietly before they settled into a comfortable silence for a few moments.

"Well, I should get to bed, see if this little bug will let me sleep." She squeezed his hand. "Thanks for coming with me tonight. That was the most fun I've had in a while."

"Thanks for inviting me. I had fun, too."

"Good night, Jack."

"Good night, Beth."

...

"Thanks for letting me come over."

"Of course." Rosemary closed the door behind them after Elizabeth walked into the house. "So what's going on? You sounded really serious on the phone."

Elizabeth sighed and sank onto the sofa. "It's nothing bad." She covered her face with her hands. "I had a dream about Jack."

"Wait, like a _dream_?"

"No! Nothing like that. It was just…" she paused, trying to decide how best to describe it. "It was sweet, I guess. Nothing unusual."

She recounted the dream to Rosemary.

_Elizabeth came home to what she thought was an empty house. Instead, she found Jack laying on the couch, a tiny baby sleeping on his chest._

_ "__Oh, hi." His voice was soft. "He wouldn't fall asleep unless I held him."_

_She set her bag by the door and walked further into the house. "You could've put him down once he was asleep."_

_ "__I know, but this is better." He looked at the sleeping baby and smiled. "How was work?"_

_ "__Good, but I missed Micah. And you."_

_ "__We missed you." He slowly stood up and approached her, resting a hand on her arm. "Hi." He pressed his lips to her cheek._

_ "__Hi."_

_He leaned toward her, their faces just inches away._

"And then I woke up."

"So, you want to be with him," Rosemary stated, thinking it was really that simple.

"I don't know!" She let out a harsh breath. "I don't know if it actually meant something, or if it was just because I spent the evening with him so he was on my mind."

"Well, you should probably figure everything out, because he's pretty clear on his feelings."

"He is?"

"Yes."

"it's just so complicated. Pat hasn't been gone that long, and that in itself makes things complicated. But on top of that, I have Micah to think about." She put a hand on her stomach.

"You'll do what's right for him. And you."

"I hope so." She sighed. "I just have a lot to think about."


	7. Chapter 7

Rosemary lowered Lorelei into her seat at the table. "Jack, when do you leave?"

"Friday morning, but I won't actually get to Oxford until about mid-morning Saturday."

"I keep telling Rosie I'll take her there someday, show her our old haunts."

Jack laughed and pulled out a chair for Elizabeth. "Old haunts? We were only there for a month, and we spent most of our time in class or in museums."

"What, you didn't go to any parties?" Rosie eyed them both.

"There was that trivia night in the pub. That was fun." Jack took a seat beside Elizabeth.

"Only because you won."

Jack smirked. "I did. Didn't I?"

"Oh, don't forget karaoke night."

Rosemary set a platter of food in the center of the table. "Leland Coulter! We've been together for almost seven years, and I'm just now learning you've done karaoke before?"

Elizabeth took a sip of water, trying to stifle a laugh.

"Correction: I _failed _at karaoke."

"What kar-ee-o?" Lorelei looked up at her parents curiously.

"What's karaoke? It's singing."

"Daddy sing!"

Lee laughed. "Not now, baby. Maybe before bed time, when everyone else is gone." He winked at Elizabeth and Jack. "Now, let's eat."

...

"So, you did karaoke before? Did you sing any Taylor Swift?"

He rolled his eyes playfully. "No, and I know what your next question is and I'm sorry, but I'm not going to sing."

"Oh, come on. Please? Not even for your pregnant best friend?" She rested her hands on her stomach and tried to muster her best pleading look.

"Nope. Not even for you."

"If not for me, then do it for Micah."

"How about this? I will sing for Micah _after _he's born."

She grinned. "I'm going to hold you to that."

He glanced over at her. "Pat sang karaoke while we were there, too."

"And you lived to tell the tale?" She chuckled. "He was a horrible singer."

"That he was," Jack laughed. "I might have a video saved on my computer. I'll have to see if I can find it."

"He would be so mad if he knew you filmed that."

"Yeah." He sighed. "Now, I'm glad I did, though."

"I know exactly what you mean. I'm glad I have pictures and videos to show to Micah." She looked down at her stomach as the baby rolled, a bulge moving across her stomach where his foot was pressing. "I can't believe it'll only be a couple more months before he's here."

"How much longer?"

"Eleven weeks, give or take a few."

He parked the car in her driveway and turned toward her. "Wow, by the time I get back, it'll be less than two months."

She laughed softly. "You might not recognize me when you get back. He's supposed to start growing like crazy from now until I deliver. I'll probably be huge."

"I can't imagine you'll get _that_ big in just three weeks."

She shrugged. "You never know."

"I'll walk you to your door."

"You don't have to do that." She reached over to open the car door.

"I won't see you for three weeks. Indulge me, please." He gave her a crooked smile.

"Alright."

He walked around to her side of the car and offered his hand to help her out. When they reached the porch, he pulled her into a hug.

"Thanks for the ride tonight."

"You're welcome." He pressed his lips to her forehead, just lightly, before pulling away. "I'll see you when I get back."

"Have fun. Let me know when you arrive, so I know you got there safely."

"Okay, mom," he replied sarcastically. "I'll text you when I can."

She lowered her voice. "I'll miss you, Jack."

"I'll miss you, too." He kissed her forehead once more. "See you soon."

She shut the door softly then watched through the window as he walked to his car, wondering why it felt like he wanted to say more than just 'I miss you.' For a moment, it almost felt like he was about to say, 'I love you.'

She sighed and dropped a hand to her stomach. "Well Micah, how about we take a nice bath and go to bed early?"

...

Elizabeth woke up early Saturday morning, missing Patrick more than she had in a while. She sighed and slid out of bed, quickly changing out of her pajamas.

Half an hour later, she found herself sitting in the grass beside Patrick's grave.

"Hi, Pat. I miss you so much today. I miss you so much it hurts, even after six months. Goodness, how has it been six months? And it's been a month since I last came here. I don't know how that happened." She set the bouquet of flowers in front of the stone bearing his name. "Maybe I'm moving on. I don't know. Part of me doesn't ever want to move on. I loved you, Pat. I'll always love you."

She heaved a sigh.

"I just hate that you aren't here with me, that you don't get to see me carrying our son." She drew her hand across her stomach. "He's getting so big. I can't believe we're only two months away from meeting him. I'll bring him here to visit, I promise."

She sat in silence for a few moments, watching the sun creep higher in the sky.

"It's July 4th. Tonight won't be the same without you. Jack won't be there, either. He's teaching a class in Oxford. I'm sure it's bringing back a lot of memories for him of when he went there with you and Lee. I know he comes here and talks to you, too. Does he ever talk about me? I still don't know what to do about his having feelings for me. Everything's just so confusing. I don't know if my feelings for him have changed. I enjoy spending time with him, but that's always been true. And I'm so glad that Micah will have him in his life. If he can't have you, Jack is the next best thing, right?" She groaned. "I wish you could tell me what to do. And I know that's a silly thing to wish, because if you _could_, there would be nothing to do."

She threaded her fingers through the grass.

"I just miss you, Pat. Life isn't the same without you."

...

When Elizabeth returned home, she unlocked her phone and found multiple texts from Jack.

J: "Just landed at Heathrow. About to spend forever in line to go through customs."

J: "Just realized I'll miss the big Coulter 4th of July celebration. Now I'm bummed."

J: "Waiting for the bus to Oxford. Have I mentioned how glad I am that I don't have to use public transportation in Norman?"

J: "Made it to Oxford. This city hasn't changed at all. You need to visit sometime."

J: "Still no deer in the deer park. What a rip off."

J: "About to go walk around for a while. Prepare yourself for lots of pictures."

Elizabeth chuckled and sent a quick text back, letting him know that she was glad he made it safely.

...

Jack walked down High Street, relishing the feel of the sun on his face. He stopped on Magdalen Bridge, watching the punts move lazily down the river. He smiled, thinking back to the time he had gone punting with Lee and Patrick.

_A few of the students at Brasenose had urged them to go punting before they went back home. So, their last weekend there, the three of them headed down to the river beside Magdalen College._

_They stood beside the small boat, debating who would be in charge of the pole, until Patrick just hopped into the boat and took a seat_

_ "__Now it's between two. We can flip a coin or something." He fished around in his pocket for a coin, finding a 2p coin. "Loser has to steer. Someone call it."_

_ "__Heads," Lee called when the coin was in the air._

_Patrick moved his hand away. "It's heads. Sorry, Jack."_

_ "__Ha." Lee took a seat on the other side of the boat._

_Jack grabbed the pole and took his spot at the end of the boat. It took him a while to get the hang of steering, but soon, they were moving further away from the boathouse._

_They lucked out, and there weren't many others on the river._

_Jack felt at peace as he propelled them down the river and through the trees. The water lapped quietly at the sides of the punt._

_ "__You know, if we had girls here, this could be pretty romantic."_

_Jack laughed. "How do you think Rosie would react if you said, 'hey honey, let's go punting'?"_

_ "__Well, there's no way I'd word it like that," Lee replied. "I'd probably call it a 'quiet boat ride' or something."_

_Patrick shook his head and laughed. "You are a patient man, brother."_

_ "__Hey, someday you'll find someone, and you'll put up with an awful lot because you love her so much that not being with her would be a million times worse than any of her quirks."_

Little did Patrick know, he would meet Elizabeth just a few years later and fall head-over-heels in love with her.

...

Jack called Elizabeth the following evening just to talk.

She told him about the 4th of July celebration and how Lorelei decided she no longer liked fireworks.

He told her about Oxford and some of the memories he had of when he was there with Patrick and Lee.

Over the next couple of weeks, they continued to text each other nearly every day, and Jack called her a second time during his final weekend away, telling her about the day trip he had taken his class on to London.

"So, your class was about Jack the Ripper, but you took them to the British Museum?"

He chuckled. "I know it's a stretch, but Jack the Ripper _is_ part of British history. Really, it's just a cool museum, and I wanted my students to go there."

Elizabeth started laughing. "I just realized: Jack the Professor taught a class about Jack the Ripper."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm surprised none of my students came up with that."

"They'd never call you anything but Dr. Thornton. They're all scared of you."

"Good," he laughed.

"You'll be back next Saturday, right?"

"Yes. Hopefully in the afternoon if neither of my flights gets delayed."

"Good. It's been weird without you here. Lorelei asked about you a few times at church."

"I miss all of you guys." _Mostly you_, he wanted to add. "It's been a fun trip, but I'm definitely ready to be back."

...

Elizabeth stepped into the room and took in all the balloons and decorations and snacks. "Wow, Rosie, you really went all out."

She waved her hands as if it was nothing. "It's your first baby. That's a good reason for celebration."

Shortly after Elizabeth arrived, guests started streaming in: some of their friends from church, some of her coworkers, Charlotte Thornton, and Patrick's mother, Marie. Elizabeth's mom and sisters had been unable to make the trip, but they had sent many gifts for baby Micah a few weeks before.

Elizabeth broke down when Marie arrived and pulled her into a hug. Though they spoke every couple of weeks, they hadn't seen each other since the funeral. They stood off to the side and took a moment to catch up, with Elizabeth updating her on everything to do with the baby.

At Elizabeth's insistence, they didn't play any baby shower games. They just chatted, ate snacks, and watched Elizabeth open gifts. She received more clothes than Micah could ever need, lots of toys and blankets, pacifiers, bottles, and books. Aside from furniture, a stroller, and a car seat, there was very little that Elizabeth would have to buy for her son.

Once all the guests left, Elizabeth and Rosemary moved to the kitchen and sat at the table.

"Rosie, I know it's still a couple of months away, but would you be there with me when Micah is born? In the room, I mean. My mom will be in there, but I'd like you to be in there, too."

"Of course." She squeezed Elizabeth's hand. "I would love to be there. Oh! I almost forgot."

Rosemary jumped up from the table and left the room. Elizabeth sat there, confused, wondering if she should follow.

"There's one more gift." She set a small package on the table in front of Elizabeth. "It doesn't have a card with it, but it's from Lee and Jack. They asked me to give it to you after everyone else was gone."

"Why make me wait?"

"Just open it." She nudged the gift toward her.

Elizabeth looked at her curiously before peeling away the paper to reveal a book. Other friends had brought different children's books as gifts, but this one was different. As she flipped through it, she was confronted by pictures of Patrick throughout his life, each with a short caption or story describing it.

Rosemary gently pushed a box of Kleenex toward her, and she took one to wipe her eyes.

"I haven't seen some of these." She sniffled.

"Lee asked his parents to send pictures, and Jack got some from Charlotte. This was all their idea. They wanted to give Micah something so he would know Pat."

"It's perfect."

...

Jack wove past a tourist group looking up at the Radcliffe Camera and headed toward Broad Street. He had less than twenty-four hours left in Oxford, and he finally decided what to get for Elizabeth.

He had been struggling to find something for her that was meaningful but not romantic. After all, he was still adamant that _she_ would dictate the progress of their relationship—if she even wanted their relationship to progress past friendship.

He walked into the shop and climbed the stairs to the second floor. He double-checked his phone to make sure he remembered the correct titles before he started perusing the shelves.

He picked up two books for Elizabeth, one for Opal, and one for himself.

When he returned to his room, he packed them in his carry-on, just in case they lost his luggage. He wasn't going to lose her gift.

...

The first thing Jack did when he arrived back at his house was call Elizabeth.

"Well, if it isn't the world traveler. Are you back on American soil?"

"Yes, I am." He opened the back door and followed the puppy out. "I actually just got home."

"Are you exhausted?"

"Very. My connecting flight was delayed, so I didn't get in until two hours after I was supposed to. And then Tom brought Opal to the airport with him, and she talked nonstop on the ride home." He let out a breathy laugh. "She had to tell me every little thing that Luna did while I was gone."

"I bet she's gotten big since you left. Puppies grow so fast."

"She's about double the size she was three weeks ago. What about Micah? You said he'd probably grow a lot, too."

"I can't really tell. It's been so gradual, I haven't really noticed. I feel pretty big, though."

"Well, when I see you tomorrow, I can tell you if you've changed drastically." He chuckled.

"Oh, um," she paused, "I don't think I'll be at church. I haven't been feeling well."

Jack took a seat on the back stoop. "Is everything okay? Is Micah okay?" His voice was full of concern.

"Micah's fine. I just have a cold, but it's making me kind of miserable."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Summer colds are no fun." He absentmindedly scratched the puppy's head when she sat in front of him.

"It could be worse." He heard her sigh. "Well, I should probably let you go so you can unpack or rest or whatever. Thanks for letting me know you got back safely."

"I guess I'll see you Wednesday?"

"Yeah."

"Bye, Beth."

...

Twenty minutes after her phone call with Jack ended, Elizabeth heard a knock at her door. She wrapped herself in her blanket and made her way downstairs.

"Jack?"

"Hi. I brought you some soup."

"You really didn't have to do that, Jack." She opened the door wider to let him in. "You should be relaxing at home."

"Well, I felt bad when you said you were sick. Besides, if I relax, I'll just crash, and then I'll be up at two a.m. It's better that I have something to do to keep me awake." He pulled a small container of soup from the bag he was carrying. "Are you hungry now, or would you like me to put it away for later?"

"I actually haven't eaten dinner yet, so now is good."

"Go lay down on the couch. I've got this." He smiled and motioned for her to stay in the living room.

She did as he said, curling up on the sofa and covering herself with the blanket, trying to convince herself that his coming over had nothing to do with his feelings for her and that he would do this for any of his friends if they were sick.

A few minutes later, he returned, carrying a small bowl, a spoon, and a napkin. "It's chicken and rice. I didn't know if your stomach was upset, so I decided not to risk anything else."

"My stomach's fine, but this is good. Thank you." She sat up slowly and took the soup from him. "I appreciate this, Jack. I really do. But you really didn't have to come all the way over here."

"I know I didn't, but I wanted to."

If she wasn't convinced before that he had feelings for her, she was now.

"Is that…" He reached toward the book on the coffee table. It was the book that he and Lee had made for the baby. "Do you mind? I didn't actually get to see the finished product."

"Go ahead."

She watched him as he flipped through the book, a smile playing on his lips. Suddenly, she found herself thinking about his lips, how they would feel on her own. She silently scolded herself. _It's too soon. But maybe after Micah is born… Elizabeth! Stop!_

She cleared her throat. "Thank you for that, by the way. I think it's my favorite gift I've gotten for Micah."

He looked up at her, their eyes locking on each other. "I'm glad you like it. I know we can tell him stories about Pat, but Lee and I thought it might be nice to have something to _show _him, too, and all in one place."

"It really is a good idea. I'll show it to him every day."

They fell silent as he continued thumbing through the pages of the book and she continued eating. It was a pleasant silence. Neither felt compelled to speak; they were simply content to be with each other.

Elizabeth realized that she hadn't felt that way with anybody except Patrick.

"Oh, I got you something from Oxford."

"Jack…"

"It's nothing big, don't worry." He handed her a small paper bag. "I was already there to get something for Opal."

She pulled two books from the bag: _Vilette_ and _Sense and Sensibility_. A smile played on her lips. "These are two of my favorites. How did you know?"

He shrugged, not wanting to admit that he had asked Rosemary for some recommendations.

"Well, thank you."

"I also brought you a cookie from Ben's. It's in a Ziploc in your kitchen."

"Are those the ones with the huge chunks of chocolate?"

He nodded. "Mhmm."

"You should've told me about that before you gave me the soup."

He chuckled. "Sorry."

An hour later, Jack had fallen asleep on the couch. Elizabeth carefully slipped off his shoes and covered him with a blanket, giving him a kiss on the cheek before heading upstairs.

...

A/N Almost all of Jack's experiences in Oxford are based on my own experience studying abroad there (aside from the class he taught-I made that up). Go there if you ever have the chance. It's one of my favorite cities in the world!


	8. Chapter 8

It was dark when Jack woke, and it took him a moment to get his bearings.

He was in Elizabeth's house, on her couch, tucked under a blanket that smelled like her. It was like heaven.

He glanced at his watch, squinting in the brightness. Three a.m. He groaned. He lay there for a few minutes, trying—and failing—to fall back to sleep.

Eventually, he decided to leave, knowing that jet lag was going to keep him awake. Besides, he figured he should probably get home to let the puppy out, since she had been left alone the whole time he had been at Elizabeth's house.

He folded the blanket and draped it over the back of the couch, left a note for her on the coffee table and departed from the house as quietly as possible.

He sighed when he pulled into his driveway. Every time he went to her house, it got harder and harder for him to leave.

He prayed that a day would come when he didn't have to leave.

...

When Elizabeth came downstairs the next morning and noticed that Jack was gone, a part of her couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. There was something about the knowledge that Jack was asleep in her house that had sent a thrill through her when she had gone to bed the previous night.

She sighed, wandering into the kitchen to fill a glass with water. After a few sips, Micah kicked her.

"Good morning, little bug." She brought one hand to rest on her belly, a smile playing on her lips. "Looks like it's just you and me today. Mama's still not feeling well, so how about we go lay down on the couch and watch something on Netflix?"

She grabbed a bowl of cereal and a box of Kleenex before settling on the couch. As she pulled the blanket from the back of the couch, the note on the coffee table caught her eye, and she picked it up.

_E, had to go home to check on Luna. Thanks for the company last night (and the blanket). See you soon. J._

She sent him a text to thank him for coming over, and he called her almost immediately.

"Hi, Jack."

"Sorry I left without letting you know. I was wide awake at three a.m., and I didn't want to wake you."

"It's okay." She laughed softly. "You could've woken me, though. Micah kept me up half the night anyway."

"Already a little troublemaker, huh?" She could hear the smile in his voice.

"Yeah." She sank down onto the sofa, rubbing her belly. "He's definitely Pat's son."

"Are you feeling any better today?"

"Honestly, not really. I'm pretty congested and my throat and head hurt. I still think I'm going to stay home from church today." She coughed.

"I'm sorry. Do you need anything? I can stop by on my way to church."

"No. I'm fine. I think I just need to rest for another day."

"Oh, I have your spare house key, by the way. I figured it probably wouldn't have been a good idea to leave your front door unlocked for the rest of the night after I left. I'll give it back the next time I see you."

"Keep it," she replied without thought. "I mean, you come here at least once a week, so it makes sense. And that way, if I ever get locked out, you can come rescue me."

_I'll rescue you any day_, he thought. "Okay."

"Thanks again for coming over last night. And thank you for the books and the soup and the cookie."

"Of course."

They were both silent for a few moments.

"Well, I should let you go so you can get ready for church."

"Okay. Bye, Elizabeth."

"Bye, Jack. See you Wednesday."

She set down her phone and leaned back on the couch.

"Sweet Micah, what would we do without Uncle Jack?" The baby kicked in response, and she smiled. "Yeah, I'm glad he's around, too."

...

Jack stood on the porch, debating whether to knock or to use the key she had convinced him to keep. Eventually, he decided to use the key. After all, he didn't want to make her get up and walk through the house if she still wasn't feeling well.

The house was quiet when he entered.

He found Elizabeth asleep on the couch, still in her pajamas. Her hair was fanned out across a throw pillow. She had one arm draped across her stomach, the other resting alongside her face.

An empty plate and a half-empty glass of water sat on the coffee table. The TV was still on, but it was silent, her show paused and Netflix asking if she was still watching. The blanket had fallen off of her and was now hanging off the side of the couch.

He fixed the blanket, pulling it up to her shoulders, and took the dishes to the kitchen.

She was awake when he returned. "Jack. Hi." She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "How long have you been here?"

"Just a few minutes." He set a fresh glass of water on the coffee table and took a seat on the opposite side of the couch. "I just wanted to check and see how you're feeling."

"I'm feeling much better than I was this morning. I'm thinking that I shouldn't have to use a sick day tomorrow, which is good. I'd rather not be missing work when I'm so close to going on maternity leave."

"How much longer do you have?"

She took a sip of water. "About a month and a half. My plan is to work until a week before my due date, unless he decides to come early. Oh." She gasped and dropped her hand to her stomach when the baby kicked her hard.

"You okay?"

"Yes. He's got some strong legs and not enough room to stretch them out." She grabbed his hand, placing it over the baby's foot.

"Whoa. Does that hurt?"

"Sometimes, but not usually. It just caught me off guard that time. Things were pretty quiet in there until you started talking."

"I told you he doesn't like me."

She chuckled. "That's not true. He _really _likes you." She moved his hand a bit higher on her belly to follow the baby's foot, keeping her own hand on top of his.

"I'm sure I'll really like him, too." He met her eyes and smiled. "With you and Pat for parents, it's pretty much guaranteed that everyone will love him."

Her cheeks warmed at his words.

Jack cleared his throat and pulled his hand away when he realized he was dangerously close to leaning his face closer to hers. "So, uh," he glanced toward the TV, trying to change the topic of conversation, "what were you watching?"

"The new season of _Stranger Things_."

He feigned disbelief. "You haven't finished it yet?"

"Don't make fun of me, but I can't watch it at night, because it freaks me out. Otherwise, I would have finished it ages ago." She pulled the blanket over her lap, settling back into the couch. "If you don't have to get home right away, you're welcome to stay and watch an episode with me."

"You aren't sick of me yet?"

"Never." The smile she gave him melted his heart.

"Before you turn it on, we should get some snacks." He stood up. "What do you want?"

"I could really go for some broccoli right now."

He looked at her curiously. "Seriously?"

She nodded. "Pregnancy cravings are fun, huh?" She chuckled. "There should be a Tupperware container of veggies in the fridge. You can just bring the whole thing. Please and thank you."

"On it."

He returned a couple minutes later with a glass of water for himself, veggies and dip, and a bowl of popcorn.

"Okay, _Stranger Things _time."

Toward the end of the episode, Jack glanced over at Elizabeth. She was holding the blanket up in front of herself, just her eyes peering over it.

She had shifted on the couch as they watched, and they were nearly touching. He could feel the heat from her body. His arm was resting across the back of the couch behind her, and every part of him screamed to lower it to her shoulders.

She turned and caught him watching her. "What?"

He shook his head, trying to ignore how close her face was to his. "Nothing." _You're just cute when you're scared_, he thought_. _"You're going to miss the good part." He motioned toward the TV.

She jumped when a monster appeared on the screen, and she ended up pressed against Jack's side.

Jack slipped his arm around her and squeezed briefly.

She chuckled and scooted away from him, color filling her cheeks. "Sorry. Now you see why I can't watch this show at night."

He glanced at his watch. "You probably shouldn't start another episode tonight, then. It'll be dark before it's over."

"Wow, it's that late already?"

"Mhmm." He sat up straighter. "I'll help clean up, and then I should probably get home and let Luna out."

"If you want, you can just start bringing her over whenever you come."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "She seemed to like it the last time you brought her over. Besides, I feel bad that she's stuck in a kennel whenever you're here."

"Okay." He started picking up the remains of their snacks from the coffee table. "I'll bring her Wednesday, then."

Within a few minutes, they had everything cleaned up. Elizabeth walked with him to the door.

"I'll bring dinner Wednesday."

"Jack, you don't have to-"

"We agreed that I would be in charge of Wednesday dinner sometimes." He smiled at her. "So I'll be in charge this week."

"Okay." For the first time in a long while, she initiated the hug. "Thanks for checking on me."

"Anytime." He kissed her forehead. "Night, Beth. Sleep well."

...

Rosemary opened the door to let Elizabeth in. "Hi, Elizabeth." She embraced her.

"Hi, Rosie."

"Lorelei is going to be so happy you're here. We were a little worried when you didn't come with Jack."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "I'm not with him all the time."

"Aren't you?" Rosemary raised her eyebrows.

Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief when Lorelei came barreling into the room, saving her from discussing her still-confusing feelings toward Jack.

"Auntie Lizbeth!" She wrapped her arms around Elizabeth's legs.

"Hello, my sweet Lorelei." Elizabeth patted her back, her stomach preventing her from bending down to give her a real hug. "Happy birthday, honey."

Rosemary took the gift that Elizabeth was carrying and headed toward the backyard.

Lorelei took Elizabeth's hand and pulled her through the house and toward the yard behind Rosemary. "Uncle Jack!" she yelled. "Auntie Lizbeth's here."

"I see that, sweet girl." He smiled at her then looked up, meeting Elizabeth's gaze. "Hi."

"Hi."

Lorelei ran off when something across the yard caught her attention. Elizabeth moved across the deck to stand beside Jack.

"Rosie really went all out with this party, didn't she?"

Elizabeth nodded and laughed softly. "You should've seen the baby shower she threw for me. She could be a party planner if she ever decides to change careers."

"Well, remind me never to let her plan a party for me."

"Not your taste?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Not even close."

"Oh, did everything work out with Lorelei's present?"

At their Wednesday dinner, he arrived fretting that he had no idea what to get for her. They had spent thirty minutes browsing various websites while she gave him suggestions.

"Yes. Hopefully she likes it."

...

Jack and Elizabeth sat on the deck, watching Lorelei smearing icing across her face as she ate her cupcake.

"Remember her first birthday?"

Elizabeth started laughing. "Oh, gosh. When she threw the cake at Pat?"

_Patrick was standing off to the side of the high chair, snapping pictures of Lorelei as she explored the cake with her hands before shoving a piece into her mouth._

_He looked over and met Elizabeth's eyes, grinning as she blushed under his gaze—they had been married for less than a year at that point. While he was looking away, Lorelei decided to fling the bit of cake she held in her sticky fingers. Patrick jumped, startled as a chunk of purple frosting stuck to the back of his neck._

_Elizabeth immediately burst out laughing as he tried to wipe it off, only to smear it across his skin. Jack tossed her a damp towel—after he took a picture of his friend with frosting in his hair—and she proceeded to clean up her husband._

Lorelei ran up onto the deck, pulling them both from the memory.

"Uncle Jack!" She lifted her arms toward him. "Up, please!"

He picked her up, and she immediately placed her chocolate-covered hands on his face.

"Are you having a good birthday, honey?"

She nodded eagerly. "I'm a princess." She leaned back in his arms, showing off the princess dress that he had gotten for her. She had put it on almost immediately after opening it.

"I see that. You're a very pretty princess. And the hat looks good, too." He tapped the brim of the dress-up police hat he had also gotten her on a whim.

She lifted the hat from her head and put it on him, giggling all the while.

Elizabeth stifled a laugh. "That's a good look for you."

Jack chuckled. "Thanks." He knew he looked ridiculous—wearing the hat that was entirely too small and his face covered in cupcake crumbs and frosting—but he didn't care. Lorelei wasn't his child, but he would do anything for her, anything to make her happy.

As he glanced over at Elizabeth resting her hand on her belly, he knew he would feel the same way about Micah.

If he was being honest, he felt the same way about Elizabeth, too; he would do absolutely anything for her.

...

A couple of weeks later, he arrived at her house for Wednesday night dinner. He let himself in and lowered Luna to the floor.

The puppy immediately ran to the dining room, letting out a happy bark when she found Elizabeth.

"Hi." Jack stood in the doorway.

"Hi." Elizabeth placed a bottle of sparkling apple juice on the table.

"What's the occasion?"

She grinned. "As of today, I'm officially licensed."

"Really? Congratulations!" He pulled her into a hug and kissed her cheek. "That's amazing! I'm so proud of you, Beth."

"Just in time to go on maternity leave." She laughed softly, resting both hands on her stomach.

"I'd say that's perfect timing. You got it done before Micah came."

"He should be coming pretty soon. I'm due in less than a month, and he dropped this week."

"He dropped?"

"Haven't you noticed that I'm waddling now?" She chuckled. "He's really low in my belly now."

"Sounds…uncomfortable?"

"That's a perfect way to describe it. And speaking of uncomfortable, I'll be right back." She hurried out of the dining room.

While she was gone, Jack finished setting the table and poured them each a glass of the sparkling apple juice.

True to her word, she returned quickly.

"Sorry about that. He's, uh, kind of sitting on my bladder now."

"Wow, morning sickness, cravings, waddling, unending trips to the bathroom. Pregnancy sounds like a fun time." One corner of his mouth turned up.

"You don't know the half of it." She laughed softly. "Anyway, let's eat."

...

When Elizabeth got into bed that night, it hit her. She didn't visit the cemetery to tell Pat the news that she got licensed. She told Jack first.

And more than that, she didn't feel guilty for telling Jack first.

It felt like the right thing to do.

...

Rosemary and Jack wished Lorelei a good night before Lee took her back to her room to put her to bed.

Jack glanced down the hall, making sure Lee was out of earshot. "Rosie, I have a question that's kind of weird."

"I'll be the judge of that." She invited him to sit on the couch. "Ask away."

"If I were to give Elizabeth a card, how should I sign it? Just 'Jack' doesn't seem like enough. 'Sincerely' seems too formal. 'Thank you' would be completely out of context."

"How about 'Love, Jack?'"

"Um, no. What if she thinks that means I'm in love with her?"

"But you are in love with her," she stated matter-of-factly, as if she didn't see any problem.

"Well, yes," he ran his fingers through his hair, "but I don't want to tell her in a card."

"Tell who what?" Lee came into the room with a glass of water.

"Uh, no one. Nothing." Jack stood. "I should probably get home. Thanks for dinner."

"You're welcome. And Jack, you're overthinking this. Just do what feels right."

...

"What was that whole thing with Jack earlier? He certainly clammed up quickly when I came back in the room." Lee turned down the covers and took a seat on the edge of the bed.

"I probably shouldn't say."

He looked at her, his eyebrows raised.

"If I tell you, you can't say anything to Elizabeth."

"Why would I say anything to Elizab—oh. He likes her? I've kind of figured that with how much he goes over to check on her and everything."

"Actually, he's in love with her."

He leaned back against the headboard, letting out a breath. "Love? Since when?"

She sat beside him and shrugged. "A while, I guess. But he won't tell her."

"Why not?"

"He has some ridiculous idea in his head that she doesn't feel the same way and that if he tells her, it'll ruin their friendship."

"I imagine he's also afraid she'll think he's trying to replace Pat."

Rosemary nodded. "That's probably a factor, too. I just don't understand why he won't try. I really think they would be good together. You see how happy she is when he's around. And he's so good with Lorelei, I just know he could be a great father to Micah."

Lee kissed her forehead. "I know you think you know what's best for them, but please let them figure things out on their own. If they're meant to get together, it'll happen."

"Lee?"

"Yes?"

She laced her fingers between his. "Would it make you sad? Elizabeth and Jack getting together?"

He shook his head. "No, not if he makes her happy. I know that's what Pat would want for her: to be happy."

...

There was a vase full of yellow tulips sitting on the desk when Elizabeth arrived at work the following morning. She smiled, immediately knowing who had sent them.

She opened the card, her smile growing wider as she read.

_Congratulations on becoming a real therapist ;) _

_Those kids are lucky to have you. So am I._

_You're the best, Elizabeth Coulter, MA, LPC._

_Yours, Jack._

She kept glancing back at the flowers and card throughout the day, completely unaware of how much Jack had agonized over everything, from the way he signed the card to the color of the flowers.

All she knew was that she had a best friend who cared about her deeply, and she was incredibly lucky to have him in her life.

...

A/N I know this is a very slow burn and you're all getting antsy for J&E to finally admit their feelings to each other (and themselves, in E's case), but I promise that's coming soon!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N Thank you all for your continued support and interest in this story! Now, who's ready to meet Micah?

...

Elizabeth was standing in the middle of her living room, watching Patrick and Jack talk to each other. One of them said something funny, and they both started laughing.

She dropped her bag on the floor. "Hello?"

They looked over at her.

"Oh, hi, Lizzy." Patrick approached her and kissed her cheek. "How are you?"

"Uh, fine, I guess."

"Beth." Jack pressed his lips to hers, catching her off guard. "When did you get here?"

"Just now. What are you…?" She stared at Patrick, trying to figure out what was going on. She knew something was off, but she couldn't place her finger on it.

"Jack wanted me to see the baby. She looks like you, Lizzy. So beautiful."

_She? Doesn't he know our baby is a boy? _she thought. "You mean _he_?"

"Are you okay, Beth?" Jack placed his hands on her arms, rubbing gently up and down. "You know we just had a daughter. She's upstairs in the nursery."

She shook her head frantically. "No, this isn't… Pat and I, we have a son… or, we're having a son soon. I'm having his baby." She glanced down and suddenly noticed that her stomach was flat. There was no sign of a baby. "Wait. Where's Micah?"

"With the Coulters. Rosie picked him up from school today, remember? I think you need to sit down, love." Jack guided her to the couch.

"What's going on here? Pat," she looked up at him, "how are you here? You aren't supposed to be here. You're gone."

"Elizabeth." Jack brushed the hair from her forehead and kissed her temple. "Elizabeth…" His voice faded away.

She woke with a start.

Before she could even begin to make sense of the dream, a pain shot through her abdomen.

"Okay, little bug. What was that?" She took a deep breath and rubbed her stomach.

She had been experiencing Braxton-Hicks contractions sporadically for a couple of weeks, so she initially thought nothing off it, especially since she was still two weeks away from her due date.

Then she had another contraction. Then another.

After notifying her supervisor that she wouldn't be at work, she dialed Rosemary's number.

"Elizabeth, what's up? Do you realize what time it is?"

"Sorry, Rosie." She glanced at the clock and noted the time. Seven a.m. "I know it's early. Um, I was just wondering, how can you tell the difference between Braxton-Hicks contractions and actual labor?"

"Well, it's been three years now, but if I remember correctly, when you're in labor, the contractions will be stronger and more regular."

Elizabeth clenched her teeth as she was hit with another pain. "Well, in that case, I'm pretty sure I'm in labor."

"Oh goodness. Do you need a ride to the hospital?"

"Yes, please."

"I'll be over in a few minutes. Just hang tight."

While she waited for Rosemary to arrive, she paced around the living room, moving her hand back and forth across her stomach.

"Are we going to meet you today, little bug? I can't wait to see you and to get to hold you."

Rosemary arrived just as she was experiencing another contraction.

"Do you have a bag?"

Elizabeth nodded. "By the door."

"Okay. Let's get you to the hospital so we can meet that little boy of yours."

...

Jack picked up his phone when it buzzed. "Hey, Lee. What's up?"

"Hey, Jack. I don't know if anyone else has told you, but Elizabeth went into labor this morning. I just thought you'd want to know."

"But she's not due for two more weeks."

"Well, babies tend to come when they want to."

"Do you know what hospital she's at?" He stood and began packing up his things.

"No, but Rosie drove her. I'll find out the details and text them to you. You're welcome to ride with me and Lorelei later, if you want. We're going to head over once the baby is born."

"Thanks for the offer, but I want to go as soon as possible."

"It could be a while, yet. Rosie labored for nineteen hours with Lorelei. You could be sitting in that waiting room for a long time."

"I know. I just… I need to be there."

He hung up the phone and stuck a note on his office door, promising to reschedule his office hours and instructing his students to email if they had any questions.

After stopping off at his house to pick up a few things, he was on his way to the hospital.

...

"How are you feeling?" Rosemary put her hand on Elizabeth's shoulder.

"Tired." She leaned back and sighed. "I'm just ready for him to get out of me."

Elizabeth was nearing her eighth hour of labor, making slow but steady progress.

"I'm sure it won't be much longer, and I promise, it'll all be worth it."

"I'm really grateful that you're here, Rosie."

"Of course."

"I just wish my mom was here, too."

"Lee texted me a while ago and said your parents are on their way. Hopefully they'll make it before the little man comes. Marie and Leland are going to head down here soon, too." She pushed the hair back from Elizabeth's forehead. "I think I'm going to find a snack or something. Do you want anything?"

"No, thank you."

"Okay. I won't be long. Try to rest." Rosemary quietly left the room and walked down the hall, searching for a vending machine. When she reached the waiting room, she saw a familiar face. "Jack?"

He looked up from the book he was reading. "Hey." He stood up. "How is she? How's it going?"

"She's fine. She's just ready for it to be over."

"Is she close?"

Rosemary shrugged. "Her water hasn't broken, and she still has three centimeters to go. It could still be a while, yet." They both sat down. "How long have you been here?"

"A little while. I came as soon as Lee told me where she was."

"You've been here for five hours?!"

He looked at his watch. "Something like that."

"Just sitting out here? Why?"

"You know why."

"Do you want me to tell her that you're here? See if she'll let you come visit for a bit?"

"No. I'm just going to wait here until the baby comes. I don't want to be in the way."

"Okay, if you're sure." They were both quiet for a few moments. "William and Grace are on their way, so let me know if they get here. I know Elizabeth really wants her mom in there with her."

"Okay."

She stood up. "I should probably get back there before she wonders where I am. I'll keep you updated."

"Thank you, Rosie."

...

Elizabeth leaned back and pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes, letting out a harsh breath. "It's been two hours of this. Why isn't he coming out?"

"He's right there, Elizabeth. Just a few more." Rosemary rubbed her shoulder.

She shook her head. "I can't. I can't do this anymore."

"Take a few moments to rest," the doctor instructed her. "You can push again when you feel the urge."

Less than fifteen minutes later, with the last bit of energy she had, she brought Micah into the world.

She cried when the baby was placed on her chest. He looked so much like his father, with his round face and his bright, clear eyes. He whimpered as he squirmed against her skin.

"Hi, Micah. You're finally here. I've been waiting for you." She brushed her finger across his cheek. "You're so beautiful."

Rosie touched her shoulder. "You did a great job, Elizabeth. Pat would be so proud."

"Thank you for being here, Rosie."

"Thank you for wanting me to be here. Would you like me to go let everyone know he's here?" She nodded her head toward the door.

"Yes, please."

Rosie squeezed her hand.

"Hey, would you tell them to give us some time before they come in to see him, though?"

"Yeah. Whenever you're ready."

The baby was cleaned and weighed before being returned to Elizabeth's arms, freshly diapered and a little fussy.

"Oh, my beautiful boy. You look so much like your daddy. I'm sorry you won't get to meet him. He would have loved you so much."

A nurse helped her tuck the baby into her gown, and he immediately settled down when they were skin-to-skin. She stroked the top of his head, the fine hair there so much lighter than she expected.

Within a few minutes, he had figured out how to eat, and she just watched him in silence, taking it all in. His pink skin warm and soft against her chest, his tiny fingers twitching.

She said a quiet prayer of thanks for her little piece of Patrick, thinking about how God's plans were better than her own. Had she not gotten pregnant when she did, she would have lost all opportunity to have a baby with Patrick.

Now here he was in her arms, a product of the love she and Patrick had for each other.

"Sweet Micah." She touched his cheek as he continued eating. "You know something, little bug? Your daddy and I didn't plan for you to come when you did, but you came just when I needed you. I love you so much, Micah Patrick."

She ran her fingers across his little body, his chubby legs, his perfect toes.

"Oh, sweetheart. You have no idea just how loved you are."

...

While Elizabeth bonded with her little boy, Jack sat in the waiting room with Patrick's parents.

They all stood when they saw Rosemary coming down the hall, a grin on her face.

"He's here, he's healthy, he's beautiful."

"Oh, thank goodness." Patrick's mother wrapped her in a hug.

"He looks just like Pat."

She pulled back slightly. "Really?"

Rosemary nodded. "Just like him."

Jack moved to Rosemary's side while Patrick's parents notified other family members of the baby's birth.

"How's Elizabeth?"

"She's doing great. She's tired, understandably, after over two hours of pushing. I think the doctor was close to bringing her to the OR for a C-section." She touched his arm. "She's going to be very happy that you're here."

"How is she…emotionally?"

Rosemary shrugged. "She's fine right now."

Jack sighed. "I just worry how she'll be once it really sinks in that she's doing this without Pat."

"She'll be okay." Rosemary nudged him. "She has you."

A blush rose in his cheeks. "She has you and Lee, too. Not just me."

"Things are different with you, though. I don't care what she says, there's something on her end, too."

...

Elizabeth's parents didn't arrive at the hospital until half an hour after Micah was born, their flight having been significantly delayed. Lee arrived with Lorelei shortly after them.

To avoid overwhelming Elizabeth or the baby, they went back to visit just a few people at a time: first William and Grace, followed by Leland and Marie, then Rosemary took Lee and Lorelei to the room.

Jack had been the first of the visitors to arrive at the hospital—aside from Rosemary, of course—but he was the last to make his way down the hall to Elizabeth's room.

"Hey, are you up for one more visitor?" He peeked around the door.

He couldn't help but notice that her face lit up when she saw him.

"Of course. Come on in. I was hoping you would come visit, too."

He stood beside the bed, unsure of what to do. Rosemary's words were echoing in his head. _There's something on her end, too_. He shifted his gaze between Elizabeth and the tiny baby resting in her arms.

She noticed his hesitation. "Do you want to hold him?"

He nodded, and she carefully passed the baby to him. He immediately relaxed once the baby was in his arms.

"Hi, Micah. I'm your Uncle Jack. It's nice to meet you. I know your mama has been waiting a long time for you." He glanced over at Elizabeth. "He looks like Pat."

She gave him a sad smile and nodded. She loved that her son looked like his father, but he was also a reminder of what she had lost.

He fixed the hat on Micah's head. "He's blonde? Where did that come from?"

Elizabeth chuckled and shrugged. "I guess from me. I barely had any hair when I was born, but the little I did have was blonde."

"It's cute." He smiled as Micah yawned in his arms. "He's perfect, Elizabeth."

"I agree."

Her heart melted as she watched him interacting with her son, so calm, so natural—almost as if Micah was _his_ son, too. He settled himself in the chair beside the bed.

"Your mama picked a good name for you, little man. You look like a Micah." He touched the baby's cheek with his finger. "You know something, Micah? I'm not just friends with your mama, I was friends with your daddy, too. He and your Uncle Lee and I grew up together. I have lots of stories to tell you about him. He would've been the very best dad." The baby blinked sleepily, eventually closing his eyes.

Elizabeth spoke up. "You know, he's more relaxed with you than he's been with anyone else."

"Really?"

"Mhmm." She nodded. "Lee didn't hold him because Lorelei wouldn't let him put her down, but he was fussy with Rosie and all the grandparents. I told you he really liked you."

"He'll learn to love everyone else soon enough."

Jack lowered the now-sleeping baby into the bassinet and turned back toward Elizabeth.

She smiled up at him, exhaustion evident on her face. He kissed her forehead, but found himself wishing he was kissing her lips instead.

He backed away from the bed, before he acted on his impulses and did something he might regret. "You've had a long day, and visiting hours are almost over. I'll let you rest now. Congratulations, Beth."

"Thank you. Jack?"

"Yeah? Do you need something?"

"Just…" Everything in her wanted to tell him to stay. Instead, she shook her head and thanked him for being there.

She didn't hear him whisper "I love you" as he closed the door behind him.

Once he was out of the room, she rolled onto her side and stared out the window at the night sky. She felt so conflicted.

She wished Patrick could have been there, of course. It was his son that she just brought into the world, his son sleeping peacefully in the bassinet beside the bed. She would have given anything for him to be there to meet his son, to have cheered her on as she labored.

But at the same time, it felt so right to have Jack there with her. He had always been a good friend, even before Patrick died, but he had become such an important person in her life. She didn't think she could have made it through everything without him. Although his feelings toward her had changed over the past few months, he hadn't pushed her. He simply let her know he was there.

The more she thought about it, the more she realized that her feelings toward him had changed, too. She couldn't deny it any longer.

...

"What do you think?"

Jack took a seat beside Lee. "He looks just like Pat. He's perfect."

"But…?"

"But what?" Jack leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms across his chest.

"It just seems like there's something more on your mind."

He sighed. "I thought I loved her before, but seeing her with Micah… I'm a goner, Lee. I honestly don't think I'll ever feel this way about anyone else. I need to tell her." He brought his hands up to cover his face. "Why couldn't I fall in love with someone less complicated?"

Lee clapped him on the back. "I know it'll be hard for me to watch her move on from Pat, but I think you could be good for her. You're both adults, and I know you don't need my blessing, but you have it."

Rosemary returned to the waiting room after having visited Elizabeth again, keeping Jack from responding to Lee. "She's still doing fine. I'm sure she'll be asleep soon. She said she's okay if I go home for the night, so Lee, we should probably get going so we can get Lorelei in her own bed."

"Okay." He lifted a sleeping Lorelei from the chair beside him. "See you soon, Jack."

"Thanks for the talk, Lee."

"Anytime."

Rosemary pulled Jack into a hug. "I know it meant a lot to her to have you here, but you really need to get home and get some rest, Jack."

"I will. I promise. Let me know how she's doing tomorrow."

She nodded and kissed his cheek before following Lee out of the hospital.

Jack took a seat once more, flipping through the few pictures on his phone that he had taken of Micah—and one that he had sneaked of Elizabeth.

Before he left the hospital, he said a prayer for their happiness, secretly hoping that he would play a part in that.

...

Rosemary quietly entered the room. "How's everyone doing this morning?"

Elizabeth scooted up in the bed, wincing at the soreness that had settled into her muscles. "Well, it turns out he _really _likes to eat." She glanced over at the bassinet that held her son. "I don't think either of us slept much last night."

Rosemary chuckled and peeked over the side of the bassinet at Micah. "Get used to it. You're going to get very little sleep from now on."

"I know I slept for at least a few minutes, though, because I had a dream."

"Anything interesting?"

"It was about Pat and Jack. It was the same dream I had the night before, but I had forgotten about it in all the craziness yesterday." She yawned before she proceeded to recount the dream to Rosemary.

"Wait, so Pat was there, but Jack was the one who kissed you?"

Elizabeth nodded. "And I somehow knew that Pat shouldn't have been there. It was just strange."

"Was it nice?" Rosemary raised her eyebrows.

"What?"

"The kiss with Jack."

She shrugged. "It was just a dream. It doesn't mean anything, anyway."

"Doesn't it?" She settled into the chair by the bed. "Seriously, Elizabeth, are you ever going to give him a chance?"

"I don't know." She groaned. "When he came in here last night and he was holding Micah, I don't know if it was the hormones or what, but I could see it for the first time. Jack and Micah and me, a family."

"So what's holding you back?"

"What if it's all just because my emotions are running wild right now? I need to be sure that what I'm feeling is real."

"Well," she reached over and squeezed Elizabeth's hand, "I can tell you that he isn't going anywhere. He'll still be there when you make a decision."

...

"Well, little bug, this is home." Elizabeth stood in the middle of the living room with Micah in her arms. "It's just you and me now."

Tears filled her eyes as it hit her that she didn't have Patrick there. She had been able to distract herself from that in the hospital, where nurses and friends were going in and out.

Now, she was alone with her son in the house that she and Patrick had chosen so they would have room for their future children. She was so thankful for Micah, but she couldn't help but mourn for all the dreams that would go unfulfilled.

She wiped her eyes and headed up the stairs.

"This is your room, Micah." She slowly walked around the nursery, past the crib and the dresser, noting that it felt different being in that room with Micah in her arms. "Your Uncle Jack helped me set it up." She settled into the glider. "What do you think of your Uncle Jack? He's been so good to me—and you—ever since your daddy died. I really like having him around."

She sighed as she rocked slowly. Micah fell asleep quickly.

"Micah Patrick Coulter, I love you so much."


	10. Chapter 10

A/N Thanks for all the kind comments! I hope you enjoy this chapter; it's a big one!

...

"Hi, Pat." Elizabeth very carefully lowered herself to the ground beside the stone, keeping Micah snug in her arms. "I brought him, our son." She pulled the blanket away from Micah's face, touching his soft cheek. "Micah Patrick Coulter. He's five days old, and he's just perfect. He looks like you, Pat. He has your eyes and a perfect round face. I think the only thing he got from me is all this blond hair, but I think it'll probably get darker as he gets older. I wish you could've been there when he was born. It was the hardest thing I've ever done, but seeing him the moment he took his first breath…it was amazing."

She sighed, staring at her son's face.

"But now that he's here, I don't… I don't know what to do, Pat. I know how to be his mom—I'm actually pretty good at that. But, he deserves his father. He deserves to have you here to raise him, to teach him how to be a good man. And if he can't have you, shouldn't he at least have someone around?"

She shifted the baby in her arms as he started to squirm.

"What I'm really trying to get at is that… I have feelings for Jack. I've been denying it for a while, but they aren't going away. He's been so good to me since you died, and he's wonderful with Micah. The way he is with our son, it's like he's a father." She let out a breath. "I'm scared, though. Isn't it too soon? It hasn't been all that long since I lost you. My brain says I shouldn't move on yet, but my heart… And what if things don't work out, and we can't even be friends? I can't lose my best friend. I already lost you, and that broke me. I don't know if I could make it if I lost Jack, too. I don't know. I just wish that there was a sign to let me know everything would be okay."

She lost track of how long she sat there, eventually leaving when the baby started getting restless.

When she got home, Jack was waiting in his car.

"Hi." He quickly walked around her car to help, shifting the bag he carried to his shoulder.

"Hi." She removed the car seat from the back of the car. "Did I know you were coming?"

He shook his head, reaching for the diaper bag. "I just figured I'd come see how you're doing. Lee mentioned that all the parents went home this morning."

"I'm fine." She led him into the house. "I just took Micah to the cemetery."

"I'm surprised you didn't take him sooner."

She shrugged and took Micah out of his car seat. "It didn't feel right to go while everyone was here."

"Well, I'm glad you finally got to take him."

She gave him a smile. "Me too. So, what did you bring?" She nodded toward the bag he had brought.

"Oh, some broccoli cheddar pasta." He pulled out a Tupperware container. "I figured you'd rather be spending time with Micah than cooking."

"Thank you, Jack. You didn't have to do that."

"I know." He shifted awkwardly. "I, uh, need to get going now."

"Oh. Okay." She lifted Micah to her shoulder as he started to cry.

"I'll let myself out. You just go take care of little man."

"I guess I'll see you soon."

He nodded. "Let me know if you need anything."

When she came back downstairs, he was gone. Beside the food on the table was a vase full of pink tulips.

She couldn't help but smile.

...

"Shoot." She hurried down to the kitchen and grabbed a pot from the cabinet. "Shoot," she repeated as she returned to her bedroom and centered the pot under the leak.

She grabbed her phone and called the first person she thought of.

"Elizabeth?"

"Hi, I need help."

"What's going on?"

"My roof is leaking."

"How bad is it?"

"Well," she glanced up at the ceiling, watching the water drip down, "as far as I can tell, it's only one spot right now, in my bedroom."

"I'll be right over."

Twenty minutes later, Jack let himself in and made his way upstairs.

Elizabeth was holding a screaming Micah, bouncing him gently to try to calm him down. "Thank you for coming." She nodded toward the pot and the bucket sitting next to the wall. "Another spot started leaking after I called you."

"Do you have a ladder or a stepstool or something so I can get a closer look?"

"In the garage, I think. Do you need any help? Because I need to change his diaper."

"I think I've got it. You just worry about little man."

She gave him a grateful smile and headed down the hall. Micah kept screaming as she lowered him onto the changing table.

"Oh, little bug, I know. I know." She sang to him softly while she changed his diaper, and he gradually quieted down. "I love you, Micah Patrick."

She paced the room, bouncing him gently again. She resumed singing, and soon, he was falling asleep in her arms.

Jack appeared in the doorway. He couldn't help but smile as he watched Elizabeth soothe her son, her sweet voice singing a familiar melody. "_Over the Rainbow_?"

She smiled back. "Puts him to sleep every time."

She lowered him into the crib and followed Jack back to her room.

"How bad is it?"

"I think you need to have a professional check it out. How long has it been since the roof was worked on?"

"I have no idea. Since before Patrick and I moved in, for sure." She let out a breath. "Is it just the roof, then?"

Jack shook his head. "It looks like you're starting to get some water damage on this wall."

She groaned. "Great."

...

"The timing is not great." Elizabeth sighed. "This is something Pat would've caught and gotten fixed way before Micah was born." She glanced down at the baby sleeping in her arms. "Now I need to find a hotel or somewhere to stay in the meantime. I know I could stay there, but I just think with the noise and paint and workers, it would be better for Micah if we stayed somewhere else until it's done."

Rosemary set down her glass. "How long is it going to take?"

"They said a couple of days, maybe a week."

"You can stay with me."

They both turned at the voice, unaware that someone else was there.

"What?"

"You can stay with me, you and Micah. I have a guest room, and you know Luna loves seeing you."

"Jack, are you sure? Micah wakes up a lot in the night, and he's not very quiet."

"I'm sure. There's no need for you to stay in a hotel."

"Okay." The corners of her mouth turned up. "Thank you."

Rosemary gave her a curious look once Jack left the room. "So, you're staying at Jack's house."

"Apparently."

"When are you going to admit there's something there?"

"Rosie!"

"What?" She looked at her innocently. "Everyone can see it. And you know, he stayed at the hospital the entire time you were in labor."

"He did?" She glanced down at Micah, remembering Jack's visit to her room shortly after he was born.

She nodded. "He got there like an hour after us and stayed later than anyone else." She sighed. "Look, I know you think it's too soon to be moving on, but if this could work, if this could make you happy, why would you delay that?"

"It's not that simple, Rosie."

"Well, you should at least take this time that you're staying with him to really think about the possibility. You deserve to be happy, Elizabeth."

"I am happy."

Rosemary rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."

...

He stood in the doorway. "I'll be down the hall if you need anything."

"Thank you, Jack." She found herself wanting to hug him, and even more surprising, she found herself wanting to feel his lips on hers.

Instead, she closed the door behind him and settled on the bed with her son in her arms.

"Well, Micah, this is where we're going to be for the next few days. It was very nice of Uncle Jack to let us stay here. He's so good to us."

He looked up at her and started to nuzzle against her chest.

"Are you hungry, little bug? Let's go get mama a glass of water, and then I'll feed you and put you to bed."

She situated him in one arm and stepped quietly down the hall to the kitchen. He was beginning to fuss when she was heading back toward the guest room, and Jack poked his head out of his room.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, he's just hungry, and he's not happy that I'm making him wait, but I needed a glass of water."

"Oh, okay. Uh, I'll let you get to it, then. Good night, Elizabeth."

"Good night."

He watched her as she continued down the hall, speaking softly to the baby in her arms. Everything in him wanted to follow her.

...

Elizabeth rolled over in the bed, unable to fall back to sleep after waking to feed Micah. After a few minutes of staring at the ceiling, she found herself climbing out of the bed.

She checked on the baby before she padded down the hall. He was out like a light, his chest rising and falling with his breath.

She peered into Jack's room. He was sleeping peacefully, stretched out across his bed. He breathed deeply and mumbled something unintelligible. She just watched him for a moment before approaching him. He looked completely content, his lips turning up just slightly at the corners. She couldn't help but think about how soft his lips were when he brushed them across her forehead or cheek. She wanted to know how they would feel on hers.

She took another step toward the bed. He still didn't stir.

She didn't know what made her do it, but she silently slipped into the bed beside him.

He woke at the movement. "Elizabeth?" He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, but quickly pulled his hand away, suddenly feeling awkward. For all he knew, she was just seeking comfort, and feelings had nothing to do with it.

"I can't sleep." She scooted closer to him, until her head was almost on his pillow. "Is this okay?"

"Yeah, I mean—" He wanted to wrap her in his arms, wanted to feel her warmth against him. "Yeah. It's okay."

"Thank you. Just for tonight." She tucked her hands under her cheek and closed her eyes.

Jack resigned himself to a sleepless night. He had never shared a bed with anyone except for his brother, and here he was lying next to _Elizabeth_, the woman he was in love with. He lay on his back and held himself as still as possible, trying to keep from touching her. He turned his head when he heard her breathing slow.

He thought she had never looked so beautiful. Her face was completely relaxed, her eyelashes just brushing the tops of her cheeks. Her hair was just slightly tousled and splayed out across the pillow.

He wanted to reach over and touch her cheek. Instead, he carefully rolled onto his side so his back was to her. He hoped that he could resist the urge if he couldn't see her.

...

Jack woke before her. He had tried to keep some space between them, but exhaustion had eventually overtaken him, and they had moved closer in their sleep—or so he thought.

Truthfully, she had woken in the night to feed the baby again, and when she returned, she didn't hesitate to snuggle into him.

She had one arm thrown over his chest, her head tucked against his shoulder. Jack wanted her to stay there forever. He could feel the heat from her body seeping through his t-shirt.

He kissed the top of her head. When she didn't stir, he took a chance and put his arm around her. She sighed, moving until her entire body was pressing against his. She was nearly draped across him when her eyes opened. He held his breath, wondering if she would panic when she realized the position they were in.

"I, um…" He lifted his arm off of her. "Sorry."

She shook her head and gave him a tiny smile before reaching for his arm and pulling it back to her waist. She pressed her cheek to his chest, relishing the feel of his body against hers, so warm, so strong. She closed her eyes once more. "Just a little while longer."

"What about Micah?"

"He'll sleep for another hour."

"Okay."

He ran his fingers through her hair until she was asleep again. He felt like he needed to pinch himself, prove he wasn't dreaming.

...

When Elizabeth woke, she felt more rested than she had in months. She was still snuggled up beside Jack, both of his arms holding her to his chest, his warm breath on her cheek. It felt so right, but now seeing him in the soft morning light, it also felt wrong.

She knew that Patrick wasn't coming back and that he wouldn't want her to be alone forever. But it hadn't even been a year since she lost him. She had given birth to his son less than a month before. Regardless of her feelings for Jack, her brain was telling her that it wasn't right to be moving on so soon.

She wriggled out of his arms and slipped out of the bed.

"Elizabeth?"

She stopped in the doorway and turned slightly, trying to hide the tears filling her eyes.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just need to check on Micah." She hurried away without another word, wiping her eyes as she went.

She closed the door of the guest room and checked on the still-sleeping baby before she sank down on the bed.

"What am I doing?"

There was a light knock on the door. "Elizabeth?" His voice was soft. "Are you sure you're okay?"

She didn't answer him. Instead, she clutched a pillow to her chest and sobbed.

"Elizabeth, I'm sorry if I crossed a line or made you uncomfortable. I didn't mean to."

His words only made her sobs grow stronger. She needed to tell him that he didn't do anything wrong, but she couldn't find her voice. She could only cry.

On the other side of the door, Jack was growing worried. He could hear her crying. He felt immensely guilty, though he wasn't sure what he had done to cause her to walk away so abruptly. After all, _she_ was the one who came to his bed.

He opened the door slightly and saw her curled up in the center of the bed, her body shaking as she continued to cry.

"Elizabeth?" He entered the room quietly and sat on the edge of the bed, making no move to touch her. "Please, tell me what I did wrong. I'm so sorry for whatever I did."

She shook her head. "It's not you. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She took a few deep breaths, finally slowing the flow of tears. "It felt good."

"What do you mean?"

"It felt _good_ to share your bed, to wake up beside someone else. It felt _right_." Her breath caught in her throat as she choked back another sob. "I never expected I would share a bed with anyone but Pat. Sometimes I feel like I'm ready to move on with my life, and sometimes I feel like it's too soon and I would be disrespecting him if I even _thought_ about someone else." Once she started speaking, the words kept spilling out. "And on top of all of that, I'm being selfish. I know you feel something for me; I've known for a while. I'm taking advantage of your friendship and the fact that you'll do just about anything for me right now. I should never have gone to your room last night. I'm sorry." She sighed, feeling like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders as she finally allowed herself to speak her thoughts.

"Elizabeth, you shouldn't be sorry about any of it: your feelings, moving on, _not_ moving on. And I promise, I don't feel like you're taking advantage of me." He took a deep breath. "And, full disclosure, I don't just _feel something_ for you. I'm in love with you. I have been for a long time. And it's fine that you don't feel the same way. I don't expect you to. I just think you should know."

"But I _do _feel the same way, Jack. That's what scares me. I've been trying to convince myself that I don't feel that way, because it hasn't been that long since I lost Pat. It hasn't even been a year. How can I move on so quickly from _my husband_, the man I called the love of my life, the _father of my child_? If he was still here, would either of us feel this way? I doubt it. None of it makes sense. It feels wrong one second, but it feels right the next." She collapsed back onto the bed, covering her face with the pillow. "It's just too much."

Jack felt his heart soar at her admission of having feelings for him, but he hated that she was so conflicted by the situation.

"Hey," he reached over and lifted the pillow off of her. "I'm going to tell you what Rosie told me when I started realizing I had feelings for you: love doesn't follow rules."

"How much did you tell her?" She sat up slowly.

He moved his hand beside hers so their fingers were just barely touching. "Pretty much everything. I was feeling conflicted. I was worried that it was going to be too hard to be around you, because I thought there was no way you could have feelings for me. It was only a couple months after Pat. You were still grieving. I didn't want to pressure you into anything you didn't want, and I didn't want to ruin our friendship. You're my best friend, Elizabeth. Pat was my best friend, too. I didn't want you to feel like I was trying to replace him, and part of me felt like I was betraying him. It scared me to admit I had fallen in love with you."

She slid her hand on top of his but said nothing.

"We'll figure this out, Elizabeth. If you need more time, that's fine. If we decide we don't want to be more than friends," he paused, "that's okay, too. I just want you to be happy."

"Jack, you've been my happiness ever since Pat died. I don't know how I could've made it through all of this without you." She scooted closer to him. "Honestly, now that we've aired our feelings, I don't think we can be just friends anymore. I still love Pat, and I know I'll always love him. But…" She squeezed his hand and met his eyes, "I love you, too. And not just in a 'he's my friend and I love him' kind of way."

"Really?" His face lit up.

"Yes. But if we do this, I can't promise that I won't get scared. I can almost guarantee that I _will_. This is terrifying and confusing and overwhelming, and it's not a normal situation. There's no guide for how to navigate this."

Jack smiled and touched her cheek. "We can be lost and confused together."

"Okay." The corners of her lips turned up and she leaned in, just slightly.

Jack followed her lead, leaning in until their faces were just inches apart. "Is this…?" His fingers still rested on her cheek, his thumb brushing against her jaw.

"Kiss me, Jack."

He closed the gap between them, just barely grazing his lips across hers. She closed her eyes, sighing when he pulled back.

"Well, that was…"

She cut him off when she kissed him again, more deeply this time. She found herself shifting on the bed, trying to get closer to him, growing lightheaded as she tried to catch her breath. It had been so long since she felt that way.

He jumped back when a cry pierced the quiet of the room.

She released a breathy laugh. "Sorry, I can usually catch him in the morning before he cries."

He smiled as he watched her lift the baby from the bassinet. "I should be the one apologizing for distracting you."

She cradled the baby to her chest, bouncing him just slightly. "It was a good distraction." Her cheeks burned.

"Do you need anything?"

She shook her head. "He just wants to eat."

"Oh. I'll get out of your way, then."

She gave him a smile and settled back on the bed as he left the room. Soon, the baby's cries quieted as he began to fill his belly.

She brushed her finger against the bottom of his foot. "Good morning, little bug. Did you sleep well? You look like you're still a little sleepy." He seemed to be struggling to keep his eyes open.

There was a quiet knock on the door. Elizabeth quickly grabbed a blanket, draping it over herself and the baby.

"Yes?"

"I, uh, brought you some water." The door opened and Jack stood there with a hand covering his eyes.

She chuckled. "Everything's covered, Jack."

He peeked through his fingers before dropping his hand. He came in and set the glass on the nightstand. "I know you said you didn't need anything, but I remembered you wanted a glass of water before you fed him last night, so I just thought…"

"Thank you. You didn't have to do that."

"I know." He cleared his throat and started toward the door.

"You can stay."

"Hm?"

"You can stay while I feed him, if you want. I don't mind. You don't have to, though. I just don't want you to feel uncomfortable or like you have to leave the room every time I feed him, especially if I'm going to be here for a few more days. He eats a lot." She chuckled and peeked under the blanket. "Don't you, little bug?"

Jack slowly took a seat on the bed beside her, leaving some room between them and giving her the chance to change her mind.

"A growing boy's got to eat."

She nodded. "He's gained over two pounds already. He was ten pounds at his most recent checkup." She shifted him in her arms.

Jack reached out and touched the tiny foot that now stuck out from under the blanket. "Still so little, though. I mean, look at these toes." A smile played on his lips. "Is it weird? Feeding him like that?"

"It was at first. But it's kind of nice. I know he's with me pretty much all the time, but I feel like it's my time to bond with him."

"It's probably all that oxytocin."

She gave him a curious look.

"What? I know things. I _am _a doctor."

She rolled her eyes. "You have a PhD in criminal justice."

"Yeah, that means I'm a doctor." He chuckled and nudged her shoulder. "Really, I should be making you call me Dr. Thornton."

"Only if you call me Master Elizabeth."

"Okay," he kissed her temple, "Master Elizabeth."

When Micah finished eating, she passed him to Jack.

"This is weird."

"What's weird?"

She set the blanket off to the side. "I don't really know how to act now. We've been friends for so long, and now we're here. With Pat, there was never a transition or anything. We started dating right after we met."

"We'll figure it out." He nudged her with his elbow. "Together."

...

"Elizabeth?" Jack rubbed his eyes and propped himself up on his elbows. "Can't sleep again?"

She shook her head. "That bed feels too big."

"Hang on." He slipped from the bed and quietly made his way across the hall.

"What are you doing?"

"Shh." He lifted Micah into his arms, smiling as he handed him to Elizabeth. "Let's go." He picked up the bassinet and carried it back to his room, setting it up beside the bed. "Now you don't have to go across the hall every time he wakes up."

"Are you sure? He wakes up a lot."

"Yes."

She gave the baby a kiss and returned him to the bassinet.

"Come here." Jack lifted the quilt on his bed and scooted over to make room for her.

She immediately settled right beside him, resting her head against his shoulder. She traced her fingers across his chest. "We shouldn't get used to this."

"Too late." He brushed his lips across her forehead. "I think I'm already used to it." He kissed her softly. "I love you, Beth."


	11. Chapter 11

For the second morning in a row, Elizabeth woke up in Jack's arms. She sighed, again feeling conflicted. She sank further into him, hoping that feeling his warmth against her would help her to resist the urge to leave the room. He tightened his arms around her.

_Pat would want me to be happy. Jack makes me happy. Being with Jack—loving Jack— does not mean I love Pat any less._

She repeated the statements over and over in her head, trying to make her head and her heart fully believe them.

Jack touched her cheek. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't realized he had woken.

"You look like you're thinking too much. Everything okay?" His thumb brushed across her chin.

"I'm fine." She dropped her gaze from his face.

"You're sure?"

"Yes. It's just going to take a while for me to get rid of the little voice that's telling me it's too soon or that this won't last."

"Do you," he cleared his throat, pulling away from her, "do you want to take more time before we…try this?"

"No. I want this, Jack." She ran her finger along the neckline of his shirt. "I really do. I just," she shook her head, "I have a lot to work through."

"Okay." He touched his lips to her nose. "If you decide you need more time, that's okay. I'll understand. I'll wait for you."

"I know you will." She brought her fingers to his jaw, grazing them across the stubble there. "I don't need more time."

A smile played on his lips. "Good." He kissed her forehead. "Now, as much as I enjoy just being here with you, I have a class to teach in an hour and a half."

"I need to get up to feed Micah, anyway."

With one last kiss to Elizabeth's cheek, Jack slipped from the bed.

Elizabeth propped herself up on her side, resting her head in her hand. She watched Jack walk across the room and disappear through the door to the master bathroom.

It suddenly hit her that her life could be like that: waking up beside Jack, spending their mornings together before going off to work.

The thought both terrified and thrilled her. She had never imagined her life with anyone but Patrick.

...

Jack came down the stairs, doing up the rest of the buttons on his shirt. "I thought you needed to feed him."

"I already did." She lowered the now-sleeping baby into his swing, strapping him in. "He didn't eat for very long before he decided he wanted to go back to sleep. I think he's having a growth spurt."

Jack followed her into the kitchen. "Wait, shouldn't he want to eat _more _during a growth spurt?"

"He will. He did this with his last growth spurt. He sleeps more and eats for shorter periods of time, but he'll want to eat more frequently."

"More frequently than every two and a half hours? Goodness." He reached into the cabinet and pulled out two pans.

"Well, his last growth spurt, he wanted to eat almost every hour, so at least this isn't _that _bad."

A few minutes later, they stood side-by-side in front of the stove, Jack frying up some bacon and Elizabeth flipping pancakes.

As she transferred the pancakes to plates, Elizabeth couldn't help but think that it felt so…domestic. It brought back her earlier thoughts of a life with Jack. She could see them cooking meals together, sitting at the table—as a family.

Jack looked over at her and smiled. "This is nice."

She smiled back. "It is," she agreed. "But you better pay attention or you'll burn the bacon." She nodded toward the pan, where the bacon was beginning to turn black around the edges.

"Oops." He turned off the stove and moved the pan off of the heat. "I guess it's ready." He chuckled and put a couple of strips on each plate. "I hope you like it extra crispy."

...

Jack sat on the sofa while he tied his shoes. He glanced over at his phone when it buzzed. "Shoot."

"What is it?" Elizabeth turned to look at him.

"I forgot I promised Tom and Sarah that I would watch Opal this weekend."

"Is that a problem?" She peeked under the blanket to check on Micah, who was still busy filling his belly, making up for his smaller-than-normal breakfast.

"No." He sighed. "I was just looking forward to spending the weekend with you."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, you wouldn't have been with just me regardless, since Micah is with me all the time."

He touched the baby's foot and smiled. "Once you get him on a bottle, I'm taking you on a date, just the two of us."

She smiled back. "I'm going to hold you to that." She shifted the baby in her arms. "So, when will Opal be here? Do you have to pick her up from school?"

"No, Tom just said they'll bring her by sometime before dinner, and then they'll pick her up Sunday after lunch."

She nudged him with her elbow. "I guess it's a good thing that I've been staying in your room; the guest room is free for her."

"Um, about that. I promise this has nothing to do with you, but I think maybe I should sleep on the couch while she's here. You can have my bed. I just don't know that I want her telling everyone that we've been sharing a bed."

"I guess that's a good point." Elizabeth chuckled. "Knowing her, she'd say we're sleeping together, and then people would get the wrong idea. And besides, I don't want to be unable to sleep when I go back home because I've gotten used to sharing a bed with you."

He draped his arm across her shoulders. "I don't know if I can let you go back to your house. I like having you here."

She smiled at him. "I like being here."

He kissed her forehead. "I have to go. I'll be back a little before five."

"We'll be here." As he turned to go, she called to him. "Jack."

"Hm?" He returned to her, crouching in front of her. "Did you forget something?"

"Just…" She grasped his collar and pulled him closer, meeting his eyes before pressing her lips to his. "Have a good day."

He grinned. "I'll have a _great_ day now."

...

"Hi, Pat." She knelt in front of the stone, keeping one hand on Micah, who was snugly wrapped against her chest. "I brought Micah again. He's gotten a lot bigger over the past few weeks." The corners of her lips turned up when she glanced down at her son. "He's looking more like you every day."

She sighed, moving to the side of the grave and taking a seat.

"Okay, Pat, I have a confession to make. Or maybe it's not really a confession, I don't know." She took a deep breath. "I kissed Jack. A few times. And I liked it, a lot. Oh, I also shared his bed, and I liked that, too." She pressed her fingers against her eyelids. "And then this morning, we were making breakfast together, and, I just kept thinking about what it would be like to live with him, maybe even to be married to him."

She shook her head.

"I just don't know. I love you, and I love him, and this is all so complicated. I know it would probably be a lot easier if I stopped overthinking things, but you know that's not who I am." She chuckled, then turned serious. "I need to let you go, Pat. I know that's really the only thing that will take away all these feelings I have about it being too soon. But how do I do that? We were together for years, Pat. I have this beautiful little boy that we made together. How do I say goodbye to you?"

She rubbed Micah's back when he started to squirm.

"I think the first step will be not coming here so much. I won't completely stop coming, but I need to stop coming to you with everything in my life." She kissed her fingers then pressed them to the stone. "I love you, Patrick Coulter. I'll love you for the rest of my life. But for my own sake—and for Micah's—I need to do the most difficult thing I've ever done in my life: figure out how to live without you."

She leaned down and kissed the top of the baby's head, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Okay, Micah. We need to go."

She took a shaky breath and stood, looking at the stone one last time before walking away.

...

Jack came home to find Elizabeth curled up on his bed, staring at the rings on her left hand.

"Beth?"

She looked up, seemingly surprised by his presence.

"Are you okay?" He sat on the edge of the bed.

"Yes. No" She sighed. "I went to see Pat today, and I realized I need to stop doing that. I need to let him go." She returned her attention to her rings, twirling them on her finger and then slipping them off. "I need to move on." She held the rings in the palm of her hand, still staring at them.

"You aren't doing this because of me, are you?"

"No. I'm doing it for me." She made her way across the room to her bag, exhaling as she dropped the rings inside. She shook her head and pulled the wedding band back out, sliding it onto the fourth finger of her right hand. "Baby steps."

"Baby steps," he agreed, pulling her to his side and kissing her temple. "Do you need to talk about it?"

"Eventually, but not right now." She leaned her head against his shoulder. "We should probably get things ready for Opal, right?"

"Right."

...

Opal launched herself into Jack's arms. "Uncle Jack!"

"Hi, sweet pea."

Tom brought Opal's bag into the house and set it in the entryway. "Thanks again for watching her."

"You know she's welcome anytime." Jack lowered Opal to the ground. "And you guys are sure you're okay with Elizabeth being here, too?"

Worried that his brother and sister-in-law would get the wrong idea about Elizabeth being at his house, Jack had already explained to them why she was staying with him, emphasizing that nothing was going on and they were staying in separate rooms.

"Yeah, of course. Opal loves her."

"Is Mrs. Coulter's baby here, too?"

"Yes, he is." Jack ruffled her hair. "I'm sure she'll bring him down soon."

"Are you talking about Micah down here?" Elizabeth came down the stairs, cradling Micah against her shoulder.

Opal's eyes lit up. "Hi, Mrs. Coulter! Can I see your baby?"

"Why don't you say bye to your mom and dad first? Then I'll let you hold him."

She ran over to her parents, wrapping her arms around Tom's legs. "Bye, daddy." She moved over to Sarah. "Bye, mommy."

"Bye, honey bun." They each gave her one last hug and kiss before heading out to their car.

Opal approached Elizabeth. "Can I see him now, please?"

"Go sit on the sofa."

She ran into the other room and plopped down on the sofa, wiggling her legs with excitement.

"Sweet pea, you need to sit still, or you'll drop him." Jack chuckled.

Elizabeth carefully lowered the baby into Opal's arms. "Okay, now make sure you hold his head up."

"He's so little. How old is he?"

"He's almost a month old."

"I wish mommy and daddy would give me a baby sister." She looked down at the baby as he yawned. "Or a baby brother."

Elizabeth chuckled. "A few months ago, you told me that boys are yucky."

"I don't think that anymore." She glanced up at Jack. "I have a boyfriend now."

"Oh, you do?"

"Uh huh. His name is Philip. He was new this year. He's not in my class, but I play with him at recess and we sit together at lunch."

"Do your parents know about him?"

"Yeah. He's coming to my birthday party. You can—" She stopped talking when the baby started squirming in her arms.

"He might need to be changed." Elizabeth took her son and unbuttoned his onesie to check his diaper. "Yeah, he's wet. I'll be back."

"Okay." He watched her go up the stairs before turning his attention back to his niece. "So, does pizza sound good for dinner?"

"Yes!"

...

"Uncle Jack, do you still love Mrs. Coulter?"

"I do, sweet pea." He pulled the blanket to her chin.

"I think she likes you. You should ask her to be your girlfriend. Then you can bring her to my birthday party."

He tucked the blanket around her and chuckled. "We'll see, sweet pea. Now, it's time for bed. Good night, Opal."

"Good night, Uncle Jack."

He kissed her forehead and gave Luna a pat before heading downstairs. Elizabeth was on the sofa, Micah sleeping soundly in her arms.

"Hopefully she'll be asleep soon." He sank down beside her.

"Good."

"She, uh, she told me I should ask you to be my girlfriend."

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. "Why did she specifically mention me? Why not someone else?"

"She thinks you like me." A flush rose in his cheeks. "And, um, there are quite a few people who have known about my feelings for you for a little while now—Opal included."

"Really?"

He shrugged. "Most of them figured it out before I even admitted it to myself."

"And what did you say to her? About me being your girlfriend?"

"I said we'll see." He rested his palm against her cheek, slowly brushing his thumb back and forth. "I'd like for us to be at that point, but I don't want to pressure you to move faster than what you're comfortable with."

"I think," she took a deep breath, glancing down at her son before meeting Jack's eyes, "I think I'd like to be your girlfriend."

He let out a breath and smiled. "Good."

"But Jack, I think I want to keep this between us for now, if that's okay."

"Of course, that's okay."

"Thank you."

...

Jack stepped out of the bathroom, now clad in athletic shorts and a t-shirt. "Bathroom's all yours."

"Thanks." She lowered Micah into the bassinet beside the bed, brushing her fingers along his cheek. "Sleep well, little bug."

Jack stepped across the room and pulled her into his arms. "You sleep well, too." He kissed her temple, flicking his gaze to her lips.

"Jack, you can kiss me."

He gave a soft chuckle and leaned in slowly, lightly pressing his lips to hers. She smiled against him.

"Can I ask you a question?"

He took her hand. "Anything."

"Why are you so hesitant to kiss me?"

"I'm not—"

"Jack." She squeezed his hand. "You wait until I tell you it's okay or I kiss you first. Why?"

"Well, it's like I said earlier, I don't want to pressure you or make you feel uncomfortable."

"There's a definite line of what I'm comfortable or uncomfortable with right now, but kissing doesn't cross it." She slipped her arms around his neck. "I promise I'll tell you if we need to slow down."

"Okay." He leaned down and kissed her again, then again. "I love you, Elizabeth. Good night."

"Good night, Jack."

...

The house was quiet as Elizabeth tiptoed down the stairs. She found herself moving toward the sofa, where Jack was sleeping peacefully. Part of her didn't want to wake him, but…

"Jack?"

"Elizabeth? Why are you down here?" Jack sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"I can't sleep." She sat on the arm of the sofa. "I know you're worried that Opal will catch us, but can't you stay up there with me and just come back down here before she wakes up?"

"I thought you wanted to get back in the habit of sleeping alone."

She shrugged. "It's too difficult when I know you're just downstairs."

"What if Opal wakes up in the middle of the night and comes looking for me?"

"Fine, I'll just go back up there and lie awake all night."

"Elizabeth…"

She stood at the base of the stairs, hands on her hips. "What?"

"I'll be up in a minute."

She grinned. "Thank you, Jack."

Just as she got settled under the quilt again, he slipped into the bed behind her.

She rolled over to face him, scooting closer until their noses touched.

"I think it's easier at night." She rested her hands on his arms.

"What's easier?"

"Being more than friends." She brushed her lips against his. "I don't know why."

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's safer at night. It's just us. No expectations." He leaned in to kiss her again, deeper this time, slipping his fingers behind her neck, tangling them in her hair.

She felt warmth spreading through her body as she closed the space between them.

Suddenly, he pulled back. "Sorry," he touched his thumb to her lips, "I, uh, didn't mean to…"

She shook her head. "Don't apologize." She kissed him again and shifted down in the bed, tucking her head beneath his chin. "I'll let you know if anything makes me uncomfortable, remember?"

He wrapped his arms around her. "I love you, Beth."

...

Elizabeth lifted Micah from the bassinet when she heard him moving around.

"Hi, little bug," she whispered, "let's get you fed and back to sleep."

She returned to the bed, lying down with her back toward Jack. She kept one hand behind Micah while he ate, her other hand stroking the top of his head. She spoke to him softly, telling him how much she loved him, how much he looked like his father.

Just as Micah pulled away from her, his belly full, she heard Jack shift behind her. She quickly covered herself.

He rolled over when she got out of the bed. "Where are you going?" His voice was rough with sleep.

"I just fed him, and now I need to change his diaper and put him back to bed."

"Here, you go back to sleep, and I'll change his diaper."

"Are you sure? It's a gross one."

He nodded, arms outstretched. "I have it under control."

"Okay, then." She passed the baby to him and snuggled back under the quilt, dozing off almost immediately.

The bed dipped when Jack returned, rousing her. When she settled against his shoulder, she noticed something was different.

"Jack?" She tucked her head under his chin.

"Hm?"

"Where's your shirt?" She dragged her fingers across his bare chest.

"Oh, uh," he chuckled, "Micah kind of…missed the diaper."

She laughed softly. "You said you had it under control. I thought you've changed diapers before."

"Not a boy's diaper."

"That's what the washcloth is for. I'll teach you the trick in the morning."

...

"Jack." She nudged him gently.

"Mm." He shifted in the bed but kept his eyes closed.

"Jack. We slept too long." She nudged him again. "You need to get downstairs before Opal catches you in here."

He groaned and sat himself up on the edge of the bed.

Elizabeth reached out and rubbed his back. "You should probably put a shirt on, too."

"Right." He chuckled and rummaged through his dresser until he found a t-shirt.

Elizabeth took the opportunity to appreciate the muscles of his chest and stomach that were so often hidden from her view. _Thank you, Micah_, she thought.

Jack smiled as he slipped the shirt over his head. "What?" He noticed the blush in her cheeks, the tiny smile on her lips.

She shook her head. "Nothing. Just get downstairs before Opal finds out we spent the night in the same room."

He gave her a quick kiss. "Take your time up here."

...

Jack was just finishing folding the blanket he had left on the couch when Opal came bounding down the stairs, Luna on her heels.

"Good morning, Uncle Jack!"

"Morning, sweet pea. What do you think about going to the zoo after breakfast today with the Coulters?"

"Yes!" she squealed.

"Shh," Jack chuckled. "You don't want to wake up the baby."

"He's already awake." Elizabeth came into the room with Micah resting against her shoulder. "So our zoo day is on? I'll let Rosie know."

"I love the zoo! I want to see the brown bears."

"Well, we need to feed Luna and have breakfast and get dressed first."

...

Elizabeth and Rosemary walked a few paces behind Jack, Lee, and the girls.

"So, how has it been staying with Jack?"

"It's been good. He's been really helpful with Micah." She glanced down at the baby; he was awake and content, wrapped up against her chest. She laughed softly. "Last night, he learned the dangers of changing a boy's diaper."

"Oh goodness." Rosemary chuckled. "I'm glad things have been going well. Have you been thinking about what I said?"

"Rosie, I told you that it's not that simple."

"Isn't it?" She raised her eyebrows. "I noticed you took off your wedding ring."

Elizabeth held up her right hand. "I just moved it. Don't read anything into that."

Rosemary dropped the topic as they caught up with Jack and Lee, though Elizabeth could tell there was more she wanted to say.

Elizabeth wanted to tell her, but everything was still so new. She wanted to wait until things got more settled in her relationship with Jack before they let everyone know.

"Mama! Look!" Lorelei twisted in Lee's arms to look at Rosemary. She pointed at the enclosure in front of her. "Tigers!" She followed up her exclamation with a growl.

Rosemary laughed. "I see that, baby."

While everyone else was occupied, Jack sidled up next to Elizabeth, placing his hand on her back. "How's the little man? Do you need a break from carrying him?"

"I don't _need _a break, but if you're offering." She carefully took Micah out of the wrap and handed him to Jack. "By the way, Rosie is onto us."

"Great," he replied sarcastically. "So we need to be extra careful around her."

"Yeah." Elizabeth sighed. "It's a little weird keeping this from her, though."

"Do you want to tell her?"

"Not yet. She's going to make a big deal out of it when she finds out, and I'm not ready for that right now."

"Okay." He lifted Micah to his shoulder. "We should probably get over there, then, before she gets more suspicious."

"Good idea." She smiled as she watched him walk toward the rest of the group with her son in his arms.

Again, she could see it: her, Jack, and Micah. A family.


	12. Chapter 12

Jack and Opal walked in the front door, carrying a couple of grocery bags. "We come bearing snacks."

"Perfect timing." Elizabeth followed them into the kitchen. "Rosie just texted me and said they're going to head over in a few minutes."

"Where's little man?"

"Upstairs finishing a nap." She held up the baby monitor. "He should be up any minute to eat."

"Uncle Jack? Why do you call him little man?"

He shrugged. "It's just a nickname, like how I call you sweet pea."

"Do you have a nickname, Mrs. Coulter?"

She shook her head. "Not really. Micah's daddy called me Lizzy, but everyone else just calls me by my name."

"Uncle Jack doesn't have a nickname, either."

"Well, maybe we should think of one for him."

"Just nothing silly or embarrassing."

"So I guess sweet cheeks is out." Elizabeth winked at him from across the kitchen. "How about old man?"

"Oh dear. Please just stop now."

Before Elizabeth could come up with another one, the baby monitor crackled, and Micah could be heard fussing.

"I'll get him." She leaned down to Opal on her way out of the room. "Keep trying to think of nicknames for Uncle Jack, okay?"

She nodded excitedly. "I'll think of a good one."

Jack rolled his eyes at them.

Once Elizabeth left the room, Opal peeked around the door to make sure she was out of earshot.

"Uncle Jack? Are you sure Mrs. Coulter isn't your girlfriend? You look at her like she is."

What he wanted to say was 'yes, you're right. She is my girlfriend,' but he couldn't quite trust her to keep the secret. "Sweet pea, I told you things are complicated with her."

"I still think she loves you. I can ask her if you want."

"No, no. You don't need to do that." _I already know she loves me_, he thought.

The doorbell rang, saving him from any further conversation about his complicated relationship that he wasn't allowed to reveal to anyone.

Lorelei squeezed past him as soon as he opened the door.

Rosemary chuckled. "Sorry about that. She's excited to see the puppy."

"I think she's upstairs right now. She's gotten very protective of Micah in the past couple of days." Jack opened the door further to let them in. "Snacks are in the kitchen if you want to go ahead and fill a plate."

...

Rosemary and Lee settled on the sofa, while Lorelei and Opal took seats on the floor. Jack was in the kitchen when he heard a little squeal from Lorelei.

"Puppy!"

He laughed softly as he finished filling his plate and listened to Elizabeth greet Lee and Rosemary.

A few moments later, she entered the kitchen with Micah, who was now dressed in the onesie from Jack, the one with the little OU on the front. "Okay, little bug is rested and has a full belly, and he's ready to watch his first football game."

"Wait. You're telling me that he's been living outside of you for almost a month, and he's never watched football before?"

She shrugged, gently rubbing the baby's back. "I guess we've just had other things to do with our weekends."

"Oh, really? Like what?"

"Snuggling. Sleeping. Just being generally cute, in Micah's case."

He chuckled. "I guess those are valid reasons." He leaned in and lowered his voice so to make sure their friends couldn't hear him from the other room. "You're pretty cute, too, by the way."

Her cheeks reddened. "Jack Thornton, are you flirting with me?"

He raised his eyebrows and smirked. "Maybe a little. What are you going to do about it?"

"Well, nothing. Just don't say things like that when we're out there." She nodded toward the living room.

"So you're saying I'd better get it all out now." He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, quickly, gently. "Love you."

...

"Uncle Jack says when I get bigger, maybe I can be one of the people that rides in the wagon. What's the wagon called again?" Opal looked toward Jack.

"The Sooner Schooner."

"Yeah, the Sooner Schooner. Mrs. Coulter," she turned toward Elizabeth, "did you know Uncle Jack took me to meet the horses one time?"

"Really? That sounds like it would be fun. I love Boomer and Sooner."

"Maybe he can take Micah to meet them sometime."

Elizabeth nodded. "Maybe."

Watching the game with her friends, she thought back to the first football game she had gone to at OU.

_She had never been a huge sports fan, but she tolerated the games for Patrick's sake. No one had been able to convince her to attend a game until Patrick came along._

_It was miserably hot that day, and she wished they could have just watched the game on TV._

_Patrick carried their drinks in one arm as he walked in front of her through the stadium, his other hand reaching back to hold hers, keeping her from getting separated from him. They had to squeeze through crowds of people before they reached the steps and climbed to their seats._

_She didn't pay much attention to what was happening on the field. Her focus was on the man next to her. She couldn't help but think how adorable he was. He was so invested in the game, yelling in excitement anytime the team scored and booing when the opposing team played well._

_He kept his arm draped across her shoulders for most of the game, and it was that comforting touch that kept her from feeling overwhelmed._

_She couldn't remember the outcome of that game; there had been many other games they had attended together, and the scores blended together. But what she did remember was that it was after that first game when he walked her to the front door of her apartment and kissed her for the first time._

"Hey." Jack nudged her gently. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just thinking about Pat. This makes me miss him." She sighed and looked down at the baby in her lap, noticing just how much he looked like his father. "I wish he was here to get all excited about the game and teach Micah what's going on."

Jack smiled. "He did love football."

"I, uh," Elizabeth stood up, "I'll be back."

Without further explanation, she headed up to Jack's room and sank down on the bed, cradling Micah against her chest. She just needed a moment to herself to breathe, to cry, to _feel_.

"Oh, little bug, I miss your daddy so much." She kissed the top of his head as the tears started rolling down her face. "Most days I'm okay, but sometimes it just hits me, and it's like I'm losing him all over again."

"Auntie Lizbeth?" Lorelei appeared in the doorway. "You sad?"

Elizabeth nodded and held out her hand to her niece. "Yeah, honey. I'm a little sad."

Lorelei climbed onto the bed and curled up beside Elizabeth. "Why?"

"I miss your Uncle Pat. I wish he was here with all of us."

Lorelei patted her back. "Love you."

"I love you, too, sweet girl."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Lorelei still snuggled against her.

Finally, Elizabeth took a deep breath. "What do you say we go back downstairs before someone comes looking for us?"

Once downstairs, Lorelei immediately scrambled into Rosemary's lap.

"Hi, baby." She kissed her daughter's forehead. "Are you okay, Elizabeth?"

"Yes." She returned to her spot beside Jack, settling Micah in her lap. "How's the game going?"

"We're winning. Are you sure you're fine?"

"Yes."

...

By the time the game ended, Lorelei was asleep in Lee's lap, and Opal was nearly asleep on the chair.

Rosemary nudged Lee. "We should get her home." She stood and turned toward Jack. "Thanks for having us over."

"Thanks for coming."

Once they left, Elizabeth excused herself to go feed Micah again. Jack cleaned up the living room and kitchen before carrying Opal to the guest room. She woke when he lowered her onto the bed.

"Uncle Jack?"

"Shh, go back to sleep."

She blinked sleepily. "Who won?"

"OU." He pulled the blanket to her chin and tucked her in. "Now go to sleep, sweet pea. We have church in the morning." He kissed her forehead. "Good night."

"Night, Uncle Jack."

He closed the door quietly and moved to stand outside his bedroom. He could hear Elizabeth inside speaking softly to Micah, and he debated whether to go in or not. He didn't want to interrupt her, and based on how she had acted earlier in the evening, he wasn't sure if she even wanted his company.

He wondered what she was thinking, what she was feeling.

He sighed and headed toward the stairs.

...

"Lee, did you notice anything different between Elizabeth and Jack today?" Rosemary fluffed her pillow and pulled the covers back.

"No. Should I have?"

Rosemary sighed. "I don't know. She keeps saying there's nothing going on between them, but I'm not sure I buy that. She took off her wedding ring the same week she's staying with him. That has to be significant."

"Or maybe it's nothing. You need to stay out of this, Rosie."

"You have to admit that they'd be great together. Didn't you see how they were looking at each other this evening? And how he kept touching her?"

"Whether or not they'd be good together is up to them to figure out."

She huffed. "Well, don't you think they'd be really happy together? And wouldn't Pat want his son to have a father?"

"I think," Lee settled on the bed, "Pat would just want Micah to be happy and loved. That doesn't necessarily require a father."

"Are you against Jack and Elizabeth getting together?"

"Not at all. What I'm against is you meddling in their relationship."

"But what if they both tiptoe around each other forever and miss out on something great?"

"Rosie, if they're meant to be together, it'll happen." He put his arm around her. "You have to trust that."

"But what if—"

"Rosie," he cut her off, "just let them be."

...

Elizabeth was just putting Micah down in the bassinet when there was a knock at the bedroom door. "Come in."

Jack just stood in the doorway, having decided to check on her one more time. "Hey. So, are you really okay? I know you said you were, but…"

"Yes, Jack, I'm really okay. You don't need to keep asking me. The game just got me thinking about Pat, and then I got to missing him." She shrugged. "I'm going to have bad days every once in a while."

"Oh. I'm sorry." He rubbed the back of his neck and let out a breath. "Well, I guess I'll let you get to bed."

She stopped him before he left. "Jack, stay."

"What?"

"I want you to stay with me tonight. I mean, if you want to."

"I want to. I just didn't want to assume." He grinned. "I'll be right back."

"I'll be here." She settled on the bed and reached for the book on the nightstand, while he headed toward the bathroom.

A few minutes later, Jack returned, sliding under the covers beside her. "Is that one I got you?" He nodded toward the book she still held, recognizing it as one he purchased for her in Oxford.

"Mhmm." She turned to the next page.

"Is it good?"

She kept her focus on the book, not bothering to look up when she answered. "Mhmm."

"I'm thinking of moving to Germany."

"What?" She finally met his eyes.

He laughed softly. "So you are listening."

"Sorry. Sometimes I just get sucked in when I'm reading and I kind of forget there are still things happening around me." She marked her place in the book and returned it to the nightstand.

"You didn't have to stop reading."

"I know." She snuggled into his chest, tucking her head beneath his chin. "Jack? For future reference, I'll always want you to stay with me. Even on the bad days."

"Good." He kissed the top of her head. "Do you need to talk about it?"

"No." Her fingers traced the muscles in his chest through his shirt. "And I'm not just saying that. There isn't really anything to talk about, except that I really miss Pat tonight."

"I know it's not the same for me, but I miss him, too." He brushed his fingers through her hair before settling his hand on her hip. "Part of me kept expecting to look over and see him cheering at every touchdown."

She gave a sad smile. "He'd be so happy about how well they're doing this year."

"He would," Jack agreed. "Well, we should probably get to sleep."

"Especially since you need to wake up early enough to sneak out of here before Opal catches you."

He laughed softly. "That's true. Good night, Beth."

"Good night, tater tot."

Jack nearly burst out laughing. "No thanks. Try again."

"Schnitzel? Since you're thinking of moving to Germany and all." She looked up at him and winked.

He chuckled. "Better, but still no. Keep thinking." He kissed her gently. "I love you."

...

"Elizabeth?" Jack rolled over in the bed and reached for her, encountering empty sheets instead. "Elizabeth?" He sat up and looked around the room.

Micah was beginning to stir in the bassinet.

Jack released him from his swaddle before lifting him from the bassinet. "Hey, little man." He shifted the baby to his shoulder, rubbing his back gently. "How about we change your diaper?"

He rifled through the diaper bag to find everything he needed.

"Now Micah," he lowered him onto the changing mat, "no getting me wet this time, okay?"

Jack spoke to him quietly as he changed him, and he was able to get a fresh diaper on him without incident.

"Okay little man. Now," he closed the snaps on the baby's pajamas and picked him up, "where's your mama?"

The bathroom door opened, and Elizabeth stepped out, drying her hair with a towel. "I'm right here."

"Oh, there's your mama, little man."

"Sorry." She took the baby from him. "I thought he'd sleep a little longer, so I decided to go ahead and get a shower in. Did he wake you?"

"No. I heard him moving around after I woke up. I just finished changing his diaper."

"Are you sure? You aren't soaked." She smirked.

"Ha. Ha. I used your little trick this time."

"I told you it works." She bounced the baby as he started to fuss. "I should probably feed him."

"I'll go get started on our breakfast." He gave her a quick kiss. "Love you."

He opened the door to find Opal just coming out of the guest room.

"Good morning, Uncle Jack. Why were you in your room? I thought you were sleeping downstairs and Mrs. Coulter was sleeping in your room."

"Oh, uh," he closed the door behind him, "I was watching Micah for Mrs. Coulter while she took a shower."

"Okay." Satisfied with his answer, she scurried toward the stairs. "What's for breakfast?"

He let out a breath, thankful that his secret was still safe—for now. "I was thinking pancakes."

"Yes! I love pancakes."

"Should we put some blueberries in them?"

"And bananas!"

"Blueberry banana pancakes it is."

...

Elizabeth felt her breath catch in her throat when Jack came down the stairs dressed for church, and her fingers stilled in the middle of braiding Opal's hair.

When he greeted her with a crooked smile, her heart beat so hard that she was worried that Opal would be able to hear it. She hadn't experienced that feeling since before Pat had died.

"Ready to go?"

Elizabeth cleared her throat. "Almost."

She finished braiding Opal's hair, and the little girl spun around the room.

"I feel like a princess."

"You _look _like a princess, sweet pea. Mrs. Coulter did a great job with your hair."

Elizabeth felt a blush creep into her cheeks when he smiled at her. "I just need to get Micah strapped in his car seat, and we can head out."

Within half an hour, they were all settled in their usual church pew beside Rosemary, Lee, and Lorelei.

Jack held Micah on his lap during the service in an attempt to keep his hands occupied so he wasn't tempted to reach over and touch Elizabeth.

She found herself glancing over at him out of the corner of her eye throughout the service. He kept smiling at the baby, trying to get him to reciprocate. Elizabeth felt her heart warm.

She could never fully express to Jack how thankful she was that her son had him in his life.

...

A couple of days later, Jack carried Elizabeth's bag into her house.

"It feels weird being back here." She looked around the living room. Everything was unchanged, but it felt different. _She _felt different.

"I told you that you could've just stayed with me."

"And I told you that it's far too early in this relationship for us to live together."

"Should I remind you that you slept in my bed—with me—before we were officially together?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Jack, I love you, and I loved staying with you for the past week, but we're not going to live together."

"Ever?"

"Well, no, that's not what I meant. Maybe someday…"

"You're cute when you're flustered." Jack smiled. "I'm not trying to pressure you to move faster than you want to." He leaned in and kissed her softly. "I'd like for us to live together eventually, but I'll wait until you're ready."

She smiled and kissed him again. "You're really wonderful, you know that?"

"You're really wonderful, too."

...

"I feel like we've seen each other so much recently." Elizabeth chuckled.

"I know." Rosemary shifted Micah in her arms. "We really have spent a lot of time together lately. Not as much as you and Jack though…"

"Well, I mean, I was staying at his house."

She shook her head. "I'm not just talking about this past week. I know you keep saying there's nothing going on, but you two are basically inseparable, and I've noticed you've been acting differently around each other."

Elizabeth twisted the ring on her right hand. "He's a good friend. He's just been trying to help me out since I don't have Pat around anymore."

"Elizabeth, I've known you for a long time." She reached over and squeezed her hand. "Please, tell me the truth."

Elizabeth sighed. "Fine. Jack and I are together. But please don't say anything. It's still really new, and we're trying to figure out how this is all going to work."

Rosemary squealed. "I knew it! Oh, I'm so happy for you two. I told you that you would be good together."

A smile crept onto Elizabeth's face. "It's been really…nice. I never expected that I would feel something like this for anyone else after Pat, and I especially never expected that I would feel this way about Jack."

"When did things change?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "I don't really know. I think I denied my feelings for a while. It's hard to admit you've fallen in love when you're still grieving."

"Wait. Did you just say you're in love with him?"

"Oh, um," she felt her face warm, "yes. And because I know you'll ask: yes, I've told him."

"This is even better than I thought." Rosemary grinned.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "What would I do without you, Rosie?"

Suddenly, they heard a knock at the front door.

"I'll be right back." A smile spread across her face when she looked through the window, then opened the door.

"Hi. I would've just come in, but I saw Rosie's car in your driveway."

"What are you doing here?" She opened the door wider so he could enter. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but dinner isn't for a few more hours."

He lowered his voice. "I just missed you and decided to stop by on my way home from work." His eyes widened when he noticed Rosemary standing behind Elizabeth, Micah cradled against her shoulder.

"Hi, Jack." She gave him a knowing smile.

"Hey, Rosie."

"Oh, uh, she knows about us, by the way." Elizabeth slipped her hand into Jack's, squeezing it gently.

Jack chuckled and looked at Rosemary. "I guess it's fitting that you're the first to know about us since you were the first to find out I had feelings for Elizabeth."

"I've seen this coming for months. It took you two long enough." She smirked. "I'll give you guys some space." She winked at Elizabeth and returned to the living room.

"What happened to not wanting to tell people yet?"

"She's been asking me every single time I've seen her lately. She's just so persistent, and I got tired of lying to her. You aren't upset that I told her?"

"Not at all." He pressed his lips to hers. "I should get going, let you get back to Rosie."

"Are you sure you don't want to stay a bit longer?"

"I want to, but I need to walk Luna before dinner. I'll be back soon." He gave her a dimpled smile and kissed her again. "I love you."

"I love you, too. See you soon."


	13. Chapter 13

"Micah, you're going to have to take the bottle eventually so mama can go back to work." She lowered him into the crib, resting her hand lightly on his belly until he was fully asleep.

Once she was sure he wouldn't wake, she crossed the room to grab her phone.

"Rosie, how did you get Lorelei to take a bottle?"

"I could never get her to take one from me, but Lee could give her one with no problem. Are you having trouble with Micah?"

Elizabeth let out an exasperated sigh, pacing the room. "Yes. I've been trying for the past few days, but he just won't take it."

"Try having someone else give it to him. Do you want me to come over and try?"

"No, thank you." She sat down in the glider. "I gave up and just finished nursing him, so he won't want to eat again for a while."

"Well, I can come over later if you need me to."

"Thank you, Rosie. Jack is coming over later, so I can ask him to try, but I'll let you know if I need your help, though."

"How are things going with him?"

Elizabeth couldn't help the smile that crossed her face. "Good."

"Good? That's all you're going to give me?"

Elizabeth was glad Rosemary couldn't see her roll her eyes. "There really isn't much more to tell. Not much has changed between us, except that now…we kiss sometimes."

"You've kissed?!"

"I told you that we've said 'I love you' to each other, and you're surprised that we've kissed? We're two adults in a relationship, so yes, we've kissed. Quite a few times, actually." She could feel her cheeks color as she touched her lips lightly, remembering the feel of Jack's lips against hers.

"Have you two…?" Rosemary trailed off, but Elizabeth knew her well enough to understand the question.

"Rosemary Coulter! Not that it's any of your business, but no."

"Sorry! I was just wondering. I mean, you spent a few nights at his house, and you have a baby, so it's not like you've never…"

Elizabeth cut her off. "I'm going to stop you right there. We _just_ started dating. We're not even close to that point in this relationship. I waited until I married Pat, so I'll probably wait until I'm married again. _If_ I get married again." She let out a breath and glanced across the room at the clock. "Oh, I'm sorry, Rosie. I just noticed the time. I need to start making dinner. Thank you for the advice about Micah."

"Oh, sure. Let me know if you have any more questions."

"I will."

"Are you mad at me?"

"Of course not. I know you well enough by now not to be bothered by your questions, Nosy Rosie."

Rosemary grumbled. "You and Lee need to cut it out with that nickname."

"Never." Elizabeth chuckled. "See you later, Rosie."

...

"Hey, professor, before we eat, can you help me with something?"

"Only if you promise to come up with a different nickname for me."

Elizabeth laughed. "Oh, come on! It's a good one."

"If you're going to give me a nickname based on my credentials, you should at least choose Doctor."

"That might confuse people."

"Except I _am _a doctor."

She nudged him. "Of criminal justice."

"I feel like we've had this conversation before, Master Elizabeth." He leaned in and kissed her temple. "Okay, nicknames aside, what do you need my help with?"

"I need to get Micah on a bottle before I go back to work, but he won't take one from me. Rosie suggested I try having someone else feed him. So, since you're here…?"

He chuckled. "I was expecting you to ask me to fix something. Yeah, I can give him a bottle."

"Thank you." She stood up and headed toward the kitchen. "You might as well come with me so I can show you where everything is, just in case you need to make him a bottle in the future."

A few minutes later, they returned to the living room, Jack now armed with the warmed bottle.

"Okay, little bug," Elizabeth lifted Micah from the bouncy seat. "Let's try this bottle thing again. Will you eat for Uncle Jack?" She lowered him into Jack's arms before taking a seat beside him.

"Hi, little man. I know I'm not your mama, but I promise this is the same milk you usually get." Jack offered him the bottle. After a few tries, the baby finally latched on and started to eat.

Elizabeth sighed with relief. "Thank goodness. I have no idea what I would've done if he kept refusing it. He needs to eat, but I need to work, and I can't very well bring him with me."

"Who's watching him while you're at work?"

"I'm taking him to the daycare at church."

"Oh, I forgot they had that." He watched Micah for a few moments, the corner of his mouth turning up in a crooked smile. "If you ever need me to take him or pick him up, I can."

"I'll make sure you're on the list." She smiled and placed a hand on his thigh, squeezing gently. "Are you okay here? I need to check on dinner."

"Yeah, we're fine. Right, little man?" He stroked the baby's cheek as he continued to eat.

He watched Elizabeth walk out of the room before returning his attention to Micah, who had spit out the bottle but was searching for it again, his little mouth opened slightly.

"Oh, sorry, little man. I just got a little distracted by your mama." He offered the bottle again, settling back on the sofa when the baby was happily eating again. "Can I tell you something, Micah? I love you and your mama so much. I don't think I've told you that before, but I do."

He didn't realize that Elizabeth had paused in the doorway to the kitchen, listening to him speak to her son.

"I know your daddy would've loved you more than anything, but since he isn't here, you have me. Okay? If you ever need anything, you can come to me. I love you very much, Micah Coulter."

Elizabeth wiped the tears from her cheeks before she came back into the room. "Dinner's ready."

"Okay. It looks like he's almost done here." When Jack glanced up, he noticed that Elizabeth's eyes were rimmed with red, her eyelashes matted with the remnants of tears. "Hey, what's wrong?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. I love you, Jack Thornton."

...

A few days later, Jack quietly let himself into the house. "Elizabeth?"

"I'll be down in a minute," she replied from somewhere upstairs.

Jack stood in the middle of the living room as he waited. He glanced around the room, noticing the new pictures that Elizabeth had put out. One frame on the side table held a photo of Micah on the day he came home from the hospital. Another photo was more recent, showing Jack holding Micah.

He picked up that frame and smiled. He didn't know she had taken the picture. In the photo, he was holding Micah against his shoulder, smiling down at him. He hadn't realized how small the baby looked in his arms.

"I love that picture." Elizabeth came down the stairs with Micah in her arms. "I was printing out pictures of Micah for his baby book, and I couldn't resist printing that one, too."

Jack grinned. "It's a good one."

"Hey, can you hold him for a second?"

"Yeah, sure." He reached out and took the baby from her before she disappeared into the kitchen. He shifted Micah in his arms. "How are you doing, little man? Are you excited to go to your first birthday party?" The baby cooed in response. "Oh, really? I know Opal is excited to see you and your mama."

"Okay, I'm ready now. I just had to get his bottle." She had the diaper bag slung across her shoulder. Jack grinned as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "What?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. You just look beautiful today. I like that sweater."

She blushed slightly. "Thank you. So uh," she tugged on her sleeve, "my keys are hanging by the door."

"We can take my car."

"But we have Micah." She motioned toward the car seat sitting in the entryway.

Jack lowered the baby into the seat, buckling him in. "I got a car seat base for my car."

"Jack, you didn't have to—"

"It's practical, though. If I might be picking him up or dropping him off at daycare, it makes sense for me to have one."

"I guess you're right."

"You guess?" He nudged her with his elbow, grinning. "You know I'm right."

...

"Mommy! Daddy! Philip is here!" Opal ran to the door and whipped it open. "Hi, Philip!"

"Hi, Opal. Happy birthday."

Opal took his hand and pulled him into the house. "Come on. You need to meet my Uncle Jack. He brought his puppy this morning, and she's staying with me this weekend!"

The parents chuckled as the children ran off and they were left behind.

Tom invited the Cantrells inside. "She has been so excited to have him at her party. I think it's all she's talked about for the past few weeks."

Shane put his arm around Faith. "We're so happy that they've gotten so close. Philip was nervous to start at a new school this year, and Opal has been such a good friend to him. He actually looks forward to going to school now."

Sarah looked over at Tom and smiled. "That's good to hear." She motioned for them to follow her to the living room. "Come on. Let's see what kind of trouble they're getting into."

The party was relatively small. Other than Philip, Opal had invited just one other friend from school and a handful of friends from church. Additionally, they had invited the Coulters and Charlotte Thornton, and—of course—Jack and Elizabeth.

A few children were crowded around the table the held the cake, obviously debating whether it would be noticed if they took some. Opal was standing beside Jack, excitedly introducing him to Philip. Elizabeth stood slightly to the side, talking to Rosemary and Charlotte, who was holding Micah against her shoulder.

Tom nudged Sarah. "I guess it's party time."

...

After presents and cake, Opal crossed the room and climbed up onto Jack's legs.

"Are you having a fun party, sweet pea?"

"Mhmm." She shifted in his lap so she could face him. "Uncle Jack, is it true that you have to kiss on the lips when you're married?"

Jack stifled a laugh. "Well, there's not really a rule that you have to, but usually you do. Why do you ask?"

"Because Philip said he's going to marry me when we're bigger, but I don't want to if it means I have to kiss him on the lips. That's so gross." She shuddered, then looked away for a moment, thinking. "Does Mrs. Coulter like it when you kiss her?"

Jack eyes went wide and he coughed, nearly choking on his own breath. "Who says I kiss her?"

"I saw you kiss her when you got out of your car."

"Were you peeking through the front window again?"

She shrugged. "Daddy said you were coming, so I wanted to wait for you. Is she your girlfriend now?"

Jack sighed. "Yes, she is, but it's a secret."

"Why?"

"We're just not ready for everyone to know yet."

"But why not? Aren't you happy she's your girlfriend? I like telling people that Philip's my boyfriend."

"I am happy she's my girlfriend, very happy. It's just a little different than you and Philip." He rubbed her back. "She was married before, and she has a baby. It's complicated, sweet pea."

"It doesn't have to be."

With that, she hopped off of his lap and ran off to rejoin her friends, leaving Jack to ponder her words.

...

Meanwhile, Elizabeth was seated on the sofa in the den, trying to calm an overstimulated Micah.

Someone else wandered into the room. Elizabeth hadn't formally met her, but she recognized her as Philip's mother.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" She motioned toward the empty side of the sofa.

"No, go ahead."

"I'm Faith, by the way." She held out her hand. "Faith Cantrell."

Elizabeth shook her hand. "I'm Elizabeth Coulter."

Faith took a seat. "Coulter. Are you related to Lee and Rosemary?"

She nodded. "By marriage. I was married to Lee's brother." Figuring that Faith was probably wondering about the past tense, Elizabeth added, "he passed away in January."

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"Thank you." She gently bounced Micah as he kept fussing. "I still have a bit of him in Micah, though. I'll always be grateful for that."

Faith smiled. "I know Shane feels the same way about Philip."

"Hm?"

"Oh, I've adopted Philip, but he's not biologically mine. His mom died unexpectedly when Philip was just a couple of days old."

"Really? If you don't mind my asking, how did you end up with Shane?"

"I don't really know how to explain it. It was really tough on Shane when Sophie died. Philip was their first baby, so he was having to learn how to be a dad while going through the grief of losing a spouse. Since I was really good friends with him and Sophie, I helped him out a lot that first year, bringing meals, babysitting, and eventually, our relationship just…changed. It's like we both woke up one day and decided we wanted something more. A year later, we were married, and now here we are, five years down the road with another little boy on the way." She cradled her belly.

As Faith spoke, Elizabeth realized how similar their stories were, though she related more with Shane's experience.

"Was it difficult? Trying to navigate a relationship with your friend's spouse and with a child in the mix, I mean." Elizabeth knew her questions were probably crossing the line into 'too personal,' especially given that she had just met Faith moments before, but she was genuinely curious how their relationship worked. She was intrigued that there were other couples like her and Jack.

She shrugged. "It wasn't easy, but there are difficult things in every relationship."

"I guess that's true." She lifted Micah to her shoulder, rubbing his back. "I was just asking because I'm kind of in a similar situation."

"With Jack Thornton?"

Elizabeth blushed. "I guess we don't hide things very well, huh?"

"It was just a guess. You've been with him all afternoon, and he sure looks at you like he's a man in love. You two make a cute couple."

"Thank you."

...

"Let's go get a coffee or something."

"We can have coffee at my house." Elizabeth buckled Micah into his car seat.

He met her by the passenger door, leaning against the side of the car. "But it's more like a date if we go _out_ for coffee."

"Is it still a date if Micah is with us?"

He shrugged and gave her a crooked smile. "He can be our third wheel. Please?"

"Okay."

Ten minutes later, they walked into a coffee shop a few miles from her house. They got settled in a booth at the back with their drinks, Micah snuggled up in Jack's lap.

"Jack, I think we should tell people about us."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I was talking to Philip's mom, and she asked if we were together. So we might as well tell everyone if we're that bad at hiding it."

He reached across the table and squeezed her hand. "Yeah, about not being able to hide it, Opal might know already, too."

"Oh, really?"

"She…may have caught us kissing."

"What?" A flush rose in her cheeks. "When?"

"When we got to the house today. Apparently, she was watching out the front window."

Elizabeth brought her hands up to cover her face, embarrassed. "Wonderful."

Jack chuckled. "It's not that bad. She's happy for us."

He looked from Elizabeth to Micah, thinking of the words Opal had spoken to him. _It doesn't have to be_. It wasn't complicated, when he really thought about it. At least not for him. He loved the woman sitting in front of him, the baby sleeping in his arms. They were his future.

He knew that it could still take a while for Elizabeth to get there, but he would wait as long as it took. He knew she was worth it, they were worth it.

...

Elizabeth woke in the middle of the night, a little confused and warmer than normal. When she rolled to her other side, she was confronted by Jack's sleeping form.

He was on his back on top of the covers, one arm resting over his head. He was still in his clothes from the previous night, even his shoes.

She stretched her legs before leaning down to remove his shoes. He stirred at the contact.

"Elizabeth?" His voice was tired, rough.

"Hey, sleepyhead." She moved back up the bed, lying on her pillow to face him. "So, how exactly did you end up in my bed?"

He covered his mouth as he yawned. "Do you not remember?"

She shook her head. "I remember you staying while I fed Micah, but that's it."

"You were nearly asleep by the time he finished. I put him to bed, and when I came to tell you good night, you insisted that I stay."

She laughed quietly. "Good to know I can be persuasive when I'm half asleep."

"I can leave if you want me to."

She touched his cheek. "Do you want to leave?"

"Not particularly."

"Then stay. The night's half over, anyway. You can get more comfortable if you want, too." She motioned toward his clothes.

He got out of the bed and began unbuttoning his shirt. "Can you, uh, turn away?"

She flipped over to face the other direction, staring at the wall. She felt her cheeks flush as she listened to the rustling of his clothing as he undressed, thinking about the question that Rosemary had asked her earlier that week. Butterflies rose in her stomach, heat spreading through her limbs. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

As soon as Jack slipped under the covers, she rolled back over, tucking her head beneath his chin. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her to his chest.

She twisted her fingers in his shirt. "Good night."

He kissed her hair. "Night, love."

...

A young woman greeted Jack at the door. "Jack Thornton, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to pick up Micah Coulter. Elizabeth got stuck at work."

"Sure, let me just get his things." She walked across the room and picked up the car seat and diaper bag. "So you and Elizabeth are close?"

Jack nodded, a smile and a blush spreading across his face. "Uh, yeah. We've been friends for a while, and I've been helping her with Micah since he was born."

"Micah's such a sweet baby," she stated as she lifted him from one of the cribs. "You can tell Elizabeth that he did great today. Oh, and he just had a diaper change a few minutes before you got here, and he had a bottle about an hour ago."

"Thank you." He placed Micah in the car seat, making sure he was strapped in properly. "Have a nice evening."

"You too."

On the way to Elizabeth's house, Jack stopped at the grocery store, deciding that she probably wouldn't feel up to making dinner after having to stay late at work.

"Okay, Micah, we just need to pick up a few things, and then we can get you home." Jack tucked the baby into the carrier and headed into the store.

He walked down the aisles, placing various items into a basket.

"I know your mama is allergic to shellfish, but can she have fish? Or does she even like fish? I don't think I've ever seen her eat it." Jack stood in front of the refrigerated shelves, looking over the options. "Maybe we'll just stick with chicken. I know she likes that. How should we make it?"

Micah grunted against his chest.

"Oh, that's right. You don't care how we make the chicken because you don't have any teeth to eat it with." He chuckled and leaned down to kiss the top of the baby's head. "Okay, little man. Let's go pay for all of this and then get you home."

...

Elizabeth walked in the front door and was confronted by the smell of something delicious coming from the kitchen. She set down her bag and wandered through the house.

"Jack?"

He turned from the stove and smiled. "Hi. You look beautiful."

She sighed and pushed her hair back from her face, feeling like she looked more exhausted than beautiful. "Well, thank you, but I don't feel it. I can't believe I had a crisis situation on my very first day back."

"Did you get everything worked out?"

"Yes. Thank goodness." She crossed the room when she noticed Micah sleeping in the bouncy seat, Luna curled up on the floor beside him. She stroked the top of her son's head. "Hi, little bug. I missed you today."

His little fingers twitched in his sleep, his eyelids fluttering.

Elizabeth kissed the baby's cheek, then moved toward the stove. She wrapped her arms around Jack from behind, leaning her head against his shoulder. "Thank you for picking up Micah."

"You're welcome. He and I have just been bonding all afternoon. We went to the store to get stuff for dinner, and then we stopped by my house to pick up Luna."

"Speaking of dinner, it smells wonderful."

"It's rosemary chicken and roasted potatoes with some lemon garlic broccoli."

"Yum." She kissed Jack's cheek. "Has Micah had a bottle recently?"

"I gave him one about…" he looked down at his watch, "thirty minutes ago."

She rubbed her nose against the back of his neck. "I could get used to this, coming home to you boys."

Jack shut the stove off and turned to face her. "I could get used to it, too." He kissed her, softly, slowly, sliding his arms around her waist to pull her closer. "You and Micah are all I want."

...

A/N I know I've said this on my other stories already, but feel free to let me know what you like in this story/what you want to see more of. I have a general idea of what's going to happen in this story, but I do like to add little scenes that you guys request if I can make them fit :)


	14. Chapter 14

A/N I'm so sorry for how long it's taken for me to update this story! I promise I haven't forgotten about it; sometimes the ideas for a chapter just don't come as easily, and unfortunately, that's what has been happening lately. Thank you all for your patience (and please let me know if there's anything you'd like to see in this story!)

...

Elizabeth glanced down at her phone when it buzzed. She sighed and picked it up, dialing his number.

"Elizabeth?"

"Jack, I'm so sorry. I'm at the doctor with Micah, and I completely forgot about our date tonight."

"Oh, gosh. Is Micah okay?"

"I think so." She rocked the car seat with her free hand, trying to keep the baby calm. "The daycare had me pick him up early because he's running a fever. He's acting fine otherwise, but I want to stay home with him tonight."

"Of course. That's fine. And don't worry about our date; we can reschedule that once he's feeling better. I'm coming over after work, though."

"You don't have to do that."

"Elizabeth, please stop telling me I don't have to do things. I know I don't. I _want _to."

She smiled. "You're too good, Jack Thornton."

"I'll see you in a little while, Beth."

"See you later."

Just as she hung up the phone, the pediatrician stepped into the lobby.

"Micah Coulter."

"Okay, little bug, let's go find out what's making you sick."

...

"Elizabeth?" Jack closed the front door behind himself.

"Jack? I'm upstairs," she called back.

He placed the bag of food in the kitchen before making his way upstairs. He found Elizabeth in her bathroom, giving Micah a bath.

"Hey. How is he? What did the doctor say?"

"He has his first cold." She carefully poured water over the top of the baby's head, rinsing away the soap.

Jack leaned against the door frame. "Poor guy."

"He seems to be handling it well. Other than the fever, he really doesn't have any symptoms. He is a little clingier than normal, but that's not a big deal. The doctor said he should be fine in a couple of days."

"Well, I'm glad it's nothing serious."

"Me too. Can you hand me that towel, please?" She pointed to the towel folded on the counter. Jack passed it to her, and she lifted Micah from the bath, wrapping him up and tucking his head into the little hood. "Thank you."

"I brought dinner, by the way."

"You didn't—"

"Elizabeth Coulter, if you tell me one more time that I didn't need to do something, I'll…"

"You'll what?" She raised her eyebrows and smirked.

He laughed softly. "I don't know. I'll think of something later." He touched her cheek, just lightly. "Are you ready to eat now, or do you want to wait?"

"Now is good. I just need to get him dressed." She shifted Micah in her arms as he started to squirm.

"I'll go get the food ready." He brushed his thumb across her cheek, then briefly touched the top of the baby's head before going back downstairs.

He pulled out two plates and dished up the pasta, placing them on the table with two glasses of water.

"It smells wonderful in here."

"Chicken alfredo with peas."

"Mm, you really know the way to my heart."

"With pasta?"

"Obviously." She kissed his cheek before settling in her chair with Micah in her lap.

Jack took his seat across from them. "Well, let's eat."

...

After dinner, they moved to the living room, relaxing on the sofa.

"Are you doing anything for Halloween?"

Jack leaned back, resting Micah against his shoulder. "Opal begged me to take her trick-or-treating. I'm sure she and Tom and Sarah wouldn't mind if you and Micah came along, too."

"I think it's probably best that Micah and I just stay home so I can make sure he's getting better."

"Oh, of course."

"Are you dressing up?"

He rolled his eyes and nodded. "Opal insisted. She's dressing as a vet, and Tom and Sarah and I are all dressing as different animals."

"Oh, really?" She raised her eyebrows. "So what are you supposed to be?"

"'A brown puppy.' Opal's words."

Elizabeth started laughing. "Please send me a picture of that."

"Um, I'd rather not."

"Well, fine. Then I won't send you a picture of Micah in his costume."

"I thought you were staying home with him."

"I am. That doesn't mean I can't put him in a costume just for the heck of it."

"What's his costume?"

"You'll never know since you won't send me a picture of your costume."

He shook his head and smiled. "So mean of you, Mrs. Coulter." Micah started to fuss. "What's wrong, buddy?" Jack shifted the baby off of his chest.

"He's hungry."

"It amazes me that you can figure that out so quickly."

She chuckled. "Don't be too impressed. He's on a pretty consistent feeding schedule."

He passed Micah to her. "It's getting late. I think I'm going to head home now."

"Are you sure? You can stay, if you want."

He kissed the top of her head. "I want to stay, believe me. I just think it might be…difficult if I do."

"Oh." She felt her cheeks flush. "I do have a guest room."

"We both know we'd end up in the same room at some point."

She sighed. "You're probably right."

"I _am _right." He pressed his lips to hers softly, sweetly. "I'll see you Sunday."

She nodded. "Bye, Jack."

"Bye, love." He kissed her one more time before standing up and quietly leaving the house.

...

_Elizabeth smiled and closed the door behind all the costumed children. Patrick slipped his arms around her waist from behind. She leaned back against his chest._

_"__Someday in the not-so-distant future, we may be dressing our kids up, taking them Trick-or-Treating."_

_She sighed contentedly. "I can't wait." She turned to face him, locking her hands behind his back. "Any ideas on what we should dress our future children as?"_

_He brushed her hair behind her ears. "We could do a whole family costume. Those are fun. Or animal costumes are always adorable on babies. Like a little duck or a lamb. Or a cow! A cow would be so cute."_

_"__Then it's settled. Our first baby will be a cow for their first Halloween."_

_"__I can't wait." He kissed her nose. "I can guarantee our baby will be the cutest cow there's ever been."_

Micah cooed, pulling Elizabeth from the memory.

She tied the little hat on him. "Your daddy was right, little bug. You _are_ the cutest cow there's ever been." She lifted him off of the changing table, resting him against her shoulder. "Okay, Micah. Let's get downstairs so we can be ready to hand out candy."

...

"Trick or treat."

Elizabeth grinned when she saw Jack standing with Opal, a dimpled smile covering his face.

"What are you two doing here?"

Jack shrugged and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "You practically begged to see my costume, so here it is." He stepped back and spread out his arms, allowing her to take in his outfit: a brown t-shirt, shorts, and a hood with dog ears stitched to the sides.

Elizabeth chuckled. "It's cute." She crouched down to Opal's level and dropped some candy into her bag. "And you make a great veterinarian, Miss Opal."

She giggled. "Thank you, Mrs. Coulter."

"Now where's little man? It's only fair that you let me see his costume now."

"Come in, and I'll get him." She moved aside so they could enter the house.

"We can't stay too long. Tom and Sarah are waiting in the car."

"Well, they're missing out on the cutest little cow you've ever seen." She lifted the baby from the bouncy seat.

"Oh my goodness. That's adorable." Jack reached for Micah, snuggling him against his chest. "Is he feeling better?"

"I think so. His fever broke earlier today."

"That's good." He looked back at the baby with a smile. "I'm glad you're feeling better, little man."

Elizabeth took a picture of the two of them while he wasn't paying attention, smiling as Jack spoke quietly to Micah.

"Well," Jack shifted the baby in his arms, "we should probably get going." He passed Micah back to Elizabeth and held out his hand for Opal. "Come on, sweet pea."

"Thank you for the candy, Mrs. Coulter."

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

Jack gave Elizabeth a quick kiss before leading Opal back outside.

"Okay, little bug, what should we do now?"

In response, Micah yawned.

Elizabeth laughed softly. "Sleep it is. Let's get you changed into your jammies and get you fed."

...

After Micah was fed and asleep, Elizabeth stretched out on her bed, looking through the pictures on her phone. Rosemary and Lee had stopped by with Lorelei—who was dressed as a ballerina—and they had taken a picture of her and Micah to send to the grandparents.

When she got to the picture she had taken of Micah and Jack, she smiled. But the longer she looked at the picture, the sadder it made her feel.

Patrick always loved Halloween, and he was the one who had decided they would dress their first baby as a cow. He should've been there to see their son, to help dress him up, to take him to a pumpkin patch and on hay rides.

He was already missing so much, and he was going to miss even more: Micah's first Thanksgiving, his first Christmas, his first birthday.

Elizabeth broke down in tears when she realized she would be spending the holidays without Patrick for the first time in years. She would never have another Thanksgiving or Christmas with him. On top of those holidays, Elizabeth would also face Patrick's birthday and their anniversary without him.

By the time she fell asleep, she was out of tears.

...

Jack pulled his car into Elizabeth's driveway. He could tell something was bothering her. She had been quiet all through church and lunch with the Coulters afterward.

He took off his seatbelt and turned toward her. "What's going on, Elizabeth?"

She sighed, twisting the wedding band she still wore on her right hand. "You know I love you."

"And I love you."

"Jack," she reached across the center console and took his hands, "I just don't know if I'm actually ready to move on."

"What brought this on?"

"It was my first Halloween without Pat. And now his birthday is coming up. Then Thanksgiving and our anniversary and Christmas. It's just everything at once. I thought I was ready to let him go, but the thought of going through the next couple of months without him is breaking me."

"So, what do you want, Elizabeth?" He pulled his hands away. "Do you want to stop seeing each other?"

"I don't know. I think I just need some time to figure out if I'm really ready for this."

"So you're asking for space?"

"I guess." She wiped her eyes.

"Promise me this isn't you breaking up with me."

"No, Jack. I'm not breaking up with you. Maybe just a week where we don't talk."

"Only a week?"

She nodded. "I need to be sure I'm ready for all of this."

"One week." Jack's heart sank as he thought about going seven days without seeing her, without speaking to her.

"I'll see you next Sunday." She kissed him softly before retrieving Micah from the back seat and retreating into her house.

Jack continued to stare at her front door after it shut behind her, trying to figure out what just happened.

...

"Jack, are you okay?" Lee took a seat beside him on the sofa.

"No." He sighed. "Elizabeth decided she needs time to decide if she's ready to be with me. I haven't talked to her in four days, and I feel so lost. I just don't understand. Things were going well, or at least, I thought they were."

"Wait, did she break up with you?"

"She said it wasn't a break-up, but I feel like that's inevitable." He put his face in his hands. "She's my future, Lee. I want to marry her someday; I want to be Micah's dad. I don't know what I'll do if she decides she's not ready to move on."

"I don't know what I can tell you, man. I hate seeing you like this."

"She asked me to give her a week. I just wish time would move a little faster, so I could know what her decision is going to be. This not-knowing is driving me crazy."

"Well, whatever happens, you know Rosie and I are here for you."

"Thanks, Lee. I don't know what I would do without you guys."

...

"Did you know about this whole Jack-and-Elizabeth situation?"

"You mean their break? Yes." Rosemary handed him another plate to dry. "Elizabeth told me she wanted to take some time away from him to see if she's really ready to move on from Pat. I think it just hit her that she's about to go through her first holiday season without Pat, and she panicked."

He put away the last of the dishes and set aside the towel. "You seem very calm about this whole thing."

She wiped down the counter. "She's going to stay with him. She just needs to realize that that's what she wants."

"How are you so sure about that?"

"Have you not seen how she looks at him? It's the same way she used to look at Patrick. Regardless of whatever feelings she's dealing with about this whole situation, she is definitely in love with him. I can't imagine she'd throw that away."

"She has been happier in the past month than she'd been in all the time since Pat died."

"And when she realizes that, she's going to go back to him."

...

Elizabeth stared at the ceiling, feeling restless.

It had been six days since she had last seen or spoken to Jack. Her time apart from him had only served to further confuse her emotions. She missed him terribly, but there was still a tiny hint of guilt nagging at her. Guilt for loving someone other than Patrick, of course, but she was surprised to be feeling guilt for being unable to move on fully and be with Jack one hundred percent.

She sighed and rolled over.

After nearly an hour of tossing and turning, she slipped from the bed and pulled a sweatshirt on over her pajamas.

She loaded a sleeping Micah into the car, and before she knew it, she was pulling up in front of Jack's house.

She stood on the porch and knocked before she lost her courage.

It was a few moments before he answered. He rubbed his eyes and smoothed down his sleep-tousled hair. "Elizabeth? It's late. Is everything okay?"

"I couldn't wait until tomorrow to see you." She reached out and took his hands in hers. "I'm still trying to sort out the rest of my feelings, but I love you, Jack Thornton. I'm in this."

"You're sure? I don't want you to commit yourself to us if you aren't completely positive."

"I'm not sure about a lot of things right now, but I'm sure about this. Being apart from you isn't going to help anything."

The corners of his lips turned up. "Good. I missed you."

"I missed you, too." She leaned into him, sliding her arms around his waist and resting her head against his chest. She had missed the feeling of being in his embrace; it was comforting, safe. "The next couple of months will probably be hard for me."

"I know. I'm here for whatever you need."

"I might freak out again."

"Elizabeth, you're not going to scare me away. I'm not going anywhere." He lifted her chin until her eyes met his. "I love you so much." He leaned in and kissed her deeply.

They pulled apart when Micah let out a cry from the car seat that was sitting on the porch beside them.

Elizabeth laughed softly. "I guess I should get him home. He's probably upset that I got him out of bed to come over here."

"You could stay."

"Last time I asked you to stay over, you said it would be too difficult."

"I don't care." He tightened his arms around her. "I just don't want to watch you walk away again."

"You don't have anywhere for Micah to sleep."

He sighed. "Fine. I guess that's a valid reason for you to go home."

"I'll see you tomorrow. I promise."

"Okay." He kissed her one more time. "See you tomorrow, love."

...

"Molly, do you have a minute?" Elizabeth poked her head into her supervisor's office.

"Sure. Go ahead and come in. I just need a second to finish up this email."

Elizabeth took a seat, wringing her hands in silence as she waited for her supervisor to finish.

"Okay. That's sent." She turned her chair, giving her full attention to Elizabeth. "So, what's going on? You look serious."

"Um," she shifted uncomfortably, "do you think it's too soon for me to be moving on from Patrick?"

"You're a trauma counselor. You should know better than anybody that the grieving process is different for everyone."

She sighed, resting her chin in her hands. "I know. I just… I need to tell my parents and my in-laws that I'm dating again, and I'm a little worried what they'll think. I mean, they all love Jack, my friend, but I don't know how they'll feel about Jack, my boyfriend. I'm afraid they won't understand."

"Then help them understand. I don't know them, but I know you. Just explain your perspective and don't get defensive if they ask questions."

She let out a breath. "I guess now I really know how all my clients feel when they're afraid to talk about important things."

"You can do this, Elizabeth."

"Thank you, Molly."

...

Elizabeth settled on the bed, getting comfortable before reaching for her phone.

"Hi, honey."

"Hi, mom. Is dad there?"

"Let me just get him."

There was silence for a few moments before her mother returned to the phone.

"Your dad is here now. I put you on speaker."

"Hi, Beth. How's our little grandson?"

Elizabeth smiled. "He's great. I just put him down for the night, but I'll send you some pictures later."

"Wonderful. So, did you call us just to check in, or did you need to talk about something?"

"Oh, um, I need to tell you something."

"Is anything wrong?"

"No. I, uh," she took a deep breath, "I'm seeing somebody."

"Oh." There was a pause, and Elizabeth started to worry that they would react negatively. "Is he nice?"

She let out a breath, relieved. "Very nice. It's Jack."

"Thornton?"

"Yes."

Another pause. "How long have you been together?"

"About a month."

"And he makes you happy?"

"Very."

"Well, if he makes you happy, then we're happy for you."

A smile spread across her face. "Thank you."

...

The next evening, Elizabeth and Jack sat beside each other on his sofa.

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "I told my parents about us."

"And?"

"They said they're happy if I'm happy. I told them you make me very happy."

He kissed her hair. "You make me very happy, too."

"Have you told your mom about us?"

"Mhmm." He nodded. "She just said 'it's about time, Jack Andrew.'"

Elizabeth chuckled. "That sounds like your mom. Now we just need to tell Marie and Leland."

"Maybe tomorrow before dinner at your house? We can call them together." He squeezed her hand.

"Okay. It's a plan."

"Speaking of plans, can you get someone to watch Micah on Friday night?"

"I'm sure Rosie would love to babysit if she's not busy."

"Good." He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. "I'm finally taking you on a real date."

"Well, to quote your mother: 'it's about time, Jack Andrew.'" She smirked.

"Elizabeth whatever-your-middle-name-is Coulter, please never quote my mother again." He laughed.

"If the date goes well, I'll tell you my middle name."

He leaned down and kissed her. "I'll make it the perfect date, then."


	15. Chapter 15

"I'm nervous, Jack." Elizabeth stared at her phone on the table in front of her. "What if they're mad?"

"They won't be." He took her hand and squeezed it gently.

"You don't know that."

"Well, we'll figure things out if they are, but there's probably nothing to worry about. Come on, we're doing this together." He kissed her temple. "We've told our parents and our friends. They're the last ones we need to tell."

"Let me do the talking, okay?"

"Whatever you want. I'll be right here for moral support." He put his hand on her knee. "If you change your mind, I can talk to them, too."

She reached for her phone and dialed the number for her in-laws.

"Hello, Elizabeth. What a nice surprise to hear from you today."

"Hi, Marie. How are you?"

"I'm doing well. And you?"

"I'm fine." She nervously tapped her fingers on her knee, trying to figure out how to bring up the subject of her and Jack.

"And how is that little grandson of mine?"

"Micah's doing great, too."

"Thank you for sending the picture on Halloween. He was adorable."

"You know, that costume was Pat's idea. We started brainstorming costume ideas for our future kids last Halloween, and he suggested a cow."

"I didn't know that. I'm not surprised, though." She grew quiet for a moment. "You didn't call to talk about this, did you?"

"No. I, uh, I actually have something I need to tell you and Leland. Is he there?"

"He's out right now, but I can tell him whatever it is later. Or, if you'd rather tell us both at the same time, I can call you back once he's home."

"I guess I'll just tell you now." She took a deep breath, preparing herself for any possible reaction to what she was about to say. "So, um, I've been dating Jack for the past month." She grasped his hand that was still resting on her knee, squeezing his fingers gently. "And I want you to know that I wasn't seeking out a relationship. I'm not trying to replace Patrick at all. No matter what, he'll always be my first love and Micah's dad. Jack has just always been a good friend—to me and to Patrick—and somewhere over the past couple of months, our relationship just changed. We didn't intend for it to happen, and truthfully, we both tried to ignore what was happening, but we just reached a point where we couldn't deny what we felt anymore."

"Elizabeth, breathe."

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

"Were you afraid that I would be upset about this?"

"Well, a little bit, yes. I mean, it's only been ten months since we lost Pat. In some ways, even I still feel like it's too soon."

"Elizabeth, honey, I fully expected that you would find someone else eventually. Granted, I didn't expect it to be so soon. But you're young; you shouldn't have to be alone for the rest of your life."

"You aren't mad?"

"I think I would have been if it was anyone but Jack. That boy is like my third son, and he's one of the best men there is."

"Hi is," Elizabeth agreed.

"You're happy?"

"Very happy." She glanced over at Jack and smiled. "He's so good to me and to Micah."

"Good." Another moment of silence passed. "Thank you for letting me know. Would you like me to tell Leland, or would you rather I have him call you when he gets home so you can tell him?"

"Um, I guess you can tell him."

"I'll do that, then."

"Thank you." Elizabeth squeezed Jack's hand again. "I'll talk to you soon."

After saying goodbye, Elizabeth ended the call and set her phone back on the table.

Jack put his hand on hers. "Well?"

"Leland wasn't there, so I just told Marie. She said she'd be upset if it was anyone but you."

"Really?" The corners of his lips turned up.

"But if that's the only reason, doesn't that mean she really is upset? Underneath it all?"

"Well, she'll warm up to the idea. She just needs time."

She sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. "I know."

"Now, let's go have some dinner."

...

"So, I guess you've heard that Lizzy's dating Jack."

"Yes." Marie wrapped her hands around her mug of tea. "Do you think it's too soon?"

"Maybe it would be too soon for some people, but I know they've both thought a lot about this. Jack's been saying for months that he wasn't going to push her into anything before she was ready. And Lizzy's not one to jump into something like this without really thinking it through. Jack was telling me that she made them take a break for a week to make sure she was ready to be with him."

"Really?"

Charlotte nodded and sipped her drink. "He said it was one of the hardest weeks of his life."

"They must be really serious if that's the case."

She shrugged. "They already know each other, so they skipped over a lot of the early-relationship-getting-to-know-you stuff."

"I want Elizabeth to be happy, I really do." Marie sighed. "It's just hard to know she's moving on. And I know in my mind that she's not replacing Patrick, but it kind of feels that way."

Charlotte reached across the table and squeezed her hand. "No matter what happens with her and Jack, she'll always love Patrick. Take it from me: she has room in her heart for both of them."

"Leland isn't very happy about it." She took a sip from her mug. "He thinks it's way too soon."

"But if she's supposed to be with Jack, wouldn't it be better for them to get together sooner rather than later? Life is short, and she shouldn't put off happiness just because society says it's too soon."

"You're right."

"And I know my son. He is in no way trying to replace Patrick or make her forget about him."

Marie nodded. "He is a great man. It's just going to take a while to get used to this whole thing."

"Well, don't take too long, because I can guarantee that he's already set on marrying her."

...

"Elizabeth?"

"Rosie?" Elizabeth poked her head out of her bedroom. "I'm upstairs." She continued rifling through her closet while Rosemary traipsed up the stairs.

"Need any help?" Rosemary came into the room, carrying Lorelei.

"Maybe." Elizabeth sighed, flicking through more outfits and hoping one would stand out. "There's not really a rulebook for what to wear on a first date with a man you've known for years and have already been dating for over a month."

"Do you know where he's taking you?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "No idea. He said it's not super fancy, but it's not casual, either."

"Wear that burgundy dress with the sleeves and your brown boots."

"Oh, good idea." Elizabeth pulled the dress from the closet. "I'm going to get changed. You can settle in. Micah's in the bassinet."

Rosemary set Lorelei on the floor and scooped up the baby. "We'll be in the living room. Come on, Lore."

Fifteen minutes later, she came down the stairs.

Lorelei ran over, looking up at her. "Pretty, Auntie Lizbeth!"

"Thank you, honey." Elizabeth ruffled her hair, then stood up with her arms out. "How do I look?"

"You look beautiful," Rosemary answered from the couch, where she was snuggling Micah against her shoulder. "I chose wisely." She winked.

"Jack should be here any minute." She walked across the room, picking up her keys and phone and putting them in her purse. "There's a bottle already made up for Micah in the fridge. You don't have to warm it up much; he'll take it at room temperature. If he's still hungry after he finishes that, there's plenty of milk in the freezer. You know where the diapers are, and I set out a couple of onesies in his room in case you need to change him."

"We've got everything under control here. Don't we, little guy?" She patted Micah's back, and he cooed.

The doorbell rang, and Elizabeth felt butterflies fill her stomach.

"You be good, Micah." Elizabeth kissed the top of his head. "Have fun with Lorelei and Auntie Rosie." Instead of moving toward the door, Elizabeth stood in place, staring longingly at her son.

"Elizabeth, we're fine here. Jack's waiting."

"Call me if there's an emergency or anything."

"There won't be." She nudged Elizabeth toward the front of the house.

Elizabeth turned back around to address her. "But if there is—"

"Elizabeth." Rosemary shot her a look. "Go."

"Okay, okay. I'm going." She took a deep breath and opened the door. "Hi."

Jack felt his breath catch in his throat. "Hi. You look beautiful."

"Thank you." A blush filled her cheeks.

"Well, let's go." He stepped aside so Elizabeth could pass him. Once the door was closed behind them, he held out his arm for her. "I have a confession to make."

She tucked her hand in his elbow. "What is it?"

"I'm a little nervous."

She let out a breathy laugh. "So am I."

"It makes no sense." He chuckled. "We've been together for over a month. Why are we nervous?"

"It's our first real date." Elizabeth shrugged. "There's something different about this."

"But it's not like we need to impress each other or anything."

She laughed. "That's true. I think we've already seen each other at our worst."

He opened the car door for her, and she slipped into the passenger seat.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?"

"You'll find out soon enough." A few minutes later, they pulled up in front of a little Italian restaurant. "You said pasta is the way to your heart."

She grinned. "This is perfect."

...

Elizabeth reached across the center console and took Jack's hand. "Reed."

"Hm?"

"That's my middle name. I promised to tell you what it was if our date went well."

"Elizabeth Reed. That's interesting." He glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"It was my mother's maiden name."

"I like it. Elizabeth Reed Coulter."

They were quiet for the rest of the drive, content just to be in each other's presence.

"You should come in for some coffee or something." She took his hands, pulling him toward the door.

"You're not tired?"

She shook her head. "Not really. Besides, I'll need to stay up to feed Micah one more time before I go to bed, anyway."

"Okay. I'll come in for a bit. Only because I'm not ready to say good night to you yet." He kissed her temple.

"Rosie?" Elizabeth called out when she walked through the door.

"Hey." She came down the stairs with Micah in her arms. "Your timing is perfect. He's hungry again. Hi, Jack."

"Hi, Rosie. Do you need help getting Lorelei to your car?" He nodded toward his goddaughter, who was sleeping soundly on one side of the sofa.

"Sure." She passed the baby to Elizabeth. "He was great, by the way. He took his whole bottle and had a nice nap. There were no spitting-up incidents, and I just changed his diaper."

"Thank you for watching him."

She smiled. "Any time. He's a little angel. I'll talk to you later." She pulled Elizabeth into a hug. "I want to hear all about how tonight went," she whispered, quiet enough that Jack couldn't hear her.

Elizabeth smiled and nodded, settling on the sofa with Micah. Jack hoisted a still-sleeping Lorelei to his shoulder. "I'll be right back," he said softly, trying not to wake the little girl.

He returned a few minutes later, arms now empty. Micah was situated in Elizabeth's arms under a blanket, happily filling his belly.

"What's that look for?" Jack asked, referring to the smile gracing Elizabeth's face as she peeked under the blanket.

"I don't know. Sometimes I look at him, and I just can't believe he's really mine. Pat and I made him, and I grew him inside me. It's just amazing."

"He's a little miracle." He took a seat and rested his arm behind her on the back of the sofa.

Her eyes filled with tears. "My little bit of Pat." She took a shaky breath. "Sorry that I keep bringing him up. It's not fair to you."

"Hey," he touched her arm, "please don't apologize for that. He was—and still is—a huge part of your life. I expect you to talk about him."

"It doesn't bother you?"

"No. He was like a brother to me, and even if you hadn't been married to him, I'd want people to talk about him. He deserves to be remembered. Micah deserves to know who his father was."

Elizabeth shook her head and smiled. "Sometimes I don't understand you, Jack Thornton. You're too good to be real."

"Oh, I have my faults."

"I don't think you do."

He chuckled. "Let's see." He rested his chin on his fist, as if he were thinking deeply. "I can't bake, I can't dance, I'm not that great at math."

"Oh, you can't bake? That's kind of a deal breaker for me, so good riddance." She tried—and failed—to keep a straight face, bursting into laughter.

Jack laughed and nudged her. "I'm great at buying cookies, though."

"Then I guess I can keep you around." She shifted Micah to her shoulder, patting his back. "I'll be right back. I need to go put him down."

"I'll do it." He held out his hands.

"You're sure?"

"Positive. I tell great bedtime stories. Just ask Opal."

Elizabeth laughed softly and passed the baby to him. "Uncle Jack is going to put you to bed. Okay, little bug?" She kissed his cheek, and a tiny smile appeared on his lips. She gasped. "Did you just smile at me? Oh, Micah Patrick, I love you so much."

Jack bounced him gently. "You love your mama, don't you, little man? She makes me smile, too." He kissed the top of the baby's head and gave Elizabeth a grin. "I'll be back. Say good night to your mama, Micah."

Once upstairs, Jack settled in the glider in Elizabeth's room, Micah snuggled in his arms.

"Do you want to hear a bedtime story, little man? How about I tell you about the time your Uncle Lee and I tried to prank your daddy?" He rocked gently as he spoke, staring straight ahead. "We were about eight or nine years old, and we were fishing in this lake."

_Jack and Lee had planned out the prank ahead of time, and Jack was already at the lake when Patrick and Lee arrived._

_His line was already in the water, attached to something that Patrick couldn't see. After ten minutes of silence, Lee provided a distraction so Jack could switch out his rod with Patrick's._

_Patrick noticed the weight on the line and started reeling it in. When it got close, Jack and Lee started yelling that he had hooked a shark. They expected Patrick to panic, but instead, he just continued to reel it in as if it was any other fish._

"Your daddy was so brave. He really thought it was a shark up until he got the line in and saw that it was just a toy. But he reeled that line in so confidently."

He glanced down at the baby and realized he had fallen asleep. He carefully crossed the room and lowered him into the bassinet.

He brushed the hair back from his forehead. "Sleep well, Micah. I love you."

...

Elizabeth woke on the sofa, tucked into Jack's body. His arms were wrapped around her, holding her to his chest; their legs tangled together. She blinked sleepily a few times, trying to recall the events of the night before meeting his eyes.

"Hey, snoozy." He brushed the hair from her face.

She stretched her legs, noticing that it was dark and that she was still wearing the dress from her date. "I'm sorry I fell asleep."

"That's okay." He smiled. "I'm sure with Micah in the house, you need all the sleep you can get."

"You didn't have to stay."

"I know." He pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

She shifted slightly, and she was nearly underneath him. She leaned up to kiss him again. Then again. Jack brushed his lips across her jaw, her neck.

Finally, Jack pulled back, trying to slow his breathing. "I, uh, I think I should go."

Elizabeth nodded, blushing. "That's probably a good idea."

"I love you." He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before he grabbed his keys and headed for the door.

Elizabeth stared at the door after he left, her face burning.

She reached for her phone when it buzzed on the table fifteen minutes later.

"Elizabeth, I'm sorry that I left so abruptly."

"Don't be. I completely understand. It's probably good that you left when you did."

"I know we haven't really discussed our boundaries when it comes to our physical relationship…"

"I want to wait," Elizabeth blurted. "At least for now, I mean. I know that might seem a little ridiculous because I was married and I have a baby, so obviously you know that I've…"

"That's not ridiculous at all. I don't want you to do anything unless you're completely comfortable with it."

"You're okay with waiting?"

"Yes. I didn't get into this relationship because I expected that from you. I hope you haven't been feeling like I'm pushing you to go further than what you're comfortable with."

"No, not at all. I just wasn't quite sure where you stood."

"I love you, Beth, and I don't want you ever to feel like you owe me anything. Please, let me know if you ever feel like I'm crossing a line."

"You're amazing, you know that?"

"You're more amazing. And, for the record, I want to wait, too. Not just because you do, but because this relationship is still really new. We've moved fast enough with other things; this can wait until we're both one hundred percent ready."

Elizabeth let out a breath. "So, we need to be more careful."

"Maybe we should make some ground rules."

"Right. Like no more sleepovers unless we're staying in separate rooms."

"Maybe no sleepovers at all, because let's be honest, no matter where we start out, we always end up in the same room. But if we do end up horizontal, we probably shouldn't kiss."

Elizabeth chuckled. "This makes me feel like I'm a teenager getting lectured by my parents."

Jack joined in her laughter. "It does feel a bit like that. But I think we need to take this seriously. I don't want either of us to do anything we might regret."

"I agree." Elizabeth ran her fingers over the couch cushion beneath her. "Thank you for being willing to wait."

"You're worth waiting for, Beth. And I'm not just talking about this."

"I love you, Jack."

"I love you, too."


	16. Chapter 16

The next morning, Elizabeth was just finishing up feeding Micah when she got a call from Rosemary. She laid the baby down on the bed in front of her and answered her phone.

"Morning, Rosie."

"Okay, I know it's early, but I couldn't wait any longer. How was the date?"

Elizabeth couldn't help the smile that stretched across her face. "It was perfect. He took me to Benvenuti's."

"Because you love pasta."

"Obviously." She chuckled. "It was just nice to be able to sit and talk without any interruptions from a fussy baby." She smiled at Micah, rubbing his belly, and he cooed back at her. "And then he stayed over for a while after you left. He sat with me while I fed Micah, and we talked some more. And we…we just enjoyed being together."

"You enjoyed being together? Did you two…?"

"No, we didn't. But, uh, we definitely started heading that direction." She felt her face flush. "He left before anything really happened." She cleared her throat. "It actually was good, though. It forced us to talk about boundaries and things like that, which we hadn't really discussed before, and that whole discussion got me feeling like we really do have a future together."

"You really love him, don't you?"

"I really do." She sighed contentedly. "When I lost Pat, I didn't think I could feel this way about someone again, or at least I didn't expect to be feeling these things so soon. And I never would've guessed I would feel this way about Jack."

"I'm really happy for you Elizabeth."

"Thank you, Rosie. You have no idea how much it means to me that you've been so supportive of this whole thing since the beginning."

"Since before it began, really." She chuckled.

Elizabeth shook her head and laughed. "You were just so certain that there was something between us. I'm glad you were right."

...

"Elizabeth!" Faith waved from her table.

"Hi, Faith." Elizabeth took a seat across from her, settling Micah in her lap.

Ever since they had met at Opal's birthday party, they had been meeting for lunch every week or two, and they had quickly become friends. Faith could understand some of what Elizabeth had been going through since the death of Patrick since she had seen how Shane had dealt with the loss of his first wife. Elizabeth could understand what Faith was going through with her pregnancy since she had just had Micah. And aside from those two big similarities, they had discovered that they had a lot of other things in common: both were middle children, both had moved out of state to attend college, both played the violin in high school, and both liked to knit in their spare time.

"How are you feeling? You're getting pretty close."

"I'm feeling pretty good, but I'm getting anxious for him to get here." Faith cradled her stomach. "I have no idea how I'm going to get any bigger than this. He still has two more months of growing to do."

Elizabeth chuckled. "I know exactly what you mean. It's amazing how much these little guys grow in the last few weeks."

"And at my last appointment, I was measuring slightly bigger than average." She shook her head and smiled. "I just hope he's not huge."

"Oh goodness, I can't even imagine." She sipped her water. "How's Shane doing with everything?"

She sighed. "I think he's getting more and more nervous the closer we get. I know this is all bringing back memories of Sophie and everything with Philip's birth."

"I'm sure it is." Elizabeth lifted Micah to her shoulder and rubbed his back when he started to fuss. "If he needs someone to talk to, I can recommend a couple people. For you, too, if you need it."

"Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."

"On a different note, have you and Shane chosen a name for the little guy yet?"

"We have it narrowed down to just a few choices, but we can't seem to agree on one. It's such a big decision."

"It is." Elizabeth agreed. She shifted Micah back to her lap.

"How did you pick Micah's name?"

"That's actually an interesting story." Elizabeth smiled. "Not long after I found out I was having a boy, I had a really vivid dream about Patrick. When I woke up, I had an urge to get out his old Bible, and he happened to have a copy of the vows he wrote for our wedding stuck in the book of Micah. I knew right away that was this little guy's name. And then obviously you can guess why I chose Patrick for his middle name."

"Wow. That'll be a great story to tell him when he's older." She rubbed her hand across her belly. "I don't think any names for this little guy are going to jump out at me like that."

"Well, maybe one of the names on your list will feel right once you see him."

"I hope so."

"Um, Faith?" Elizabeth ran her thumb through the condensation on her glass. "This is on a completely different topic, but did you happen to have any issues with Sophie's family when you and Shane first got together?"

"Well, it was just her mom and brother; she lost her dad when she was in elementary school. I don't remember her mom ever saying anything directly to me or Shane, but I could tell she wasn't completely on board for a while. And her brother made it known that he wasn't super thrilled that Shane had moved on. Are you having issues with Patrick's family about you and Jack?"

"His mom says she's okay with it, and I think she will be—eventually. It's his dad who's really struggling. Whenever I video chat with them so they can see Micah, he hardly talks, and he wasn't like that before. I can tell he's not even trying to accept it." She sighed. "I'm supposed to spend Thanksgiving with them, and I just don't know how it's going to be."

"Will Jack be with you?"

She shook her head. "He had already made plans to spend the day with his mom and Tom and Sarah. He invited me to spend the day with them, but I figured it might make things even worse if I turn down Pat's parents to be with Jack. Rosemary and Lee will be there with Lorelei, though, so at least I'll have a bit of a buffer in case things get heated."

"Do you expect it to get heated?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "I really have no idea."

"Well, I'll say a prayer that everything goes well."

...

"Auntie Lizbeth!" Lorelei latched onto Elizabeth's legs.

"Hi, honey. Happy Thanksgiving."

"Lorelei, baby, let Auntie Elizabeth get in the door before you jump on her." Rosemary laughed and lifted her daughter from the ground, leading Elizabeth further into the house. "How was the drive?"

She let out a breath. "Longer than it should have been. Traffic was crazy, and then I had to stop to feed Micah because he's going through a growth spurt and wants to eat all the time."

"I remember those growth spurt days well. I was so certain that little Miss here was going to double in size with how much she ate."

Lorelei giggled. "I'm a big girl."

"Yes, you are, honey bun."

Elizabeth released Micah from the car seat. "I wouldn't be surprised if Micah wants to eat again in the next few minutes."

"Did you bring a bottle? I can feed him so you can have a little break."

"I did, and that would be great."

Marie came into the living room. "Oh, hello, Elizabeth."

"Hi." She hugged her mother-in-law.

"I didn't even hear you come in." She reached for Micah. "May I?"

"Of course." She passed her son over. "I actually need to go get some things from my car. Is there room in your freezer for his milk?"

"I can make some room."

"Thank you."

...

Marie set the turkey in the center of the table before taking a seat.

"This all looks delicious, Marie."

"Thank you. Rosie helped with a lot of it."

"I help!" Lorelei excitedly threw her hands in the air.

"You did help, baby girl. Thank you."

"Well, I agree that it looks delicious, so let's say grace and we can all dig in."

Around the table, they clasped hands, then they all joined in the prayer. "Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest. Let these gifts to us be blessed. Amen."

"Amen!" Lorelei's little voice rang out, and they all chuckled.

"Okay, everyone. Eat up."

They all chatted as they filled their plates and began to eat. Elizabeth talked about Micah; Rosemary talked about Lorelei; Lee talked about work. They all talked about how much they missed Patrick and reminisced about Thanksgivings past.

Things were going better than Elizabeth expected.

Then dessert was served, and Leland addressed her directly for the first time since she had arrived.

"So, Elizabeth, are you still seeing Jack?"

"Uh, yes. I am." She took a sip of her water, silently praying that things wouldn't get heated.

"And things are serious between you two?"

Lee put down his fork. "Dad, do you really need to ask about this right now?"

"Well, it affects my grandson, so yes. I'd like to know these things."

"Lee, it's okay." She cleared her throat. "Yes, I'd say Jack and I are very serious."

"Are you going to marry him?"

She shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know. Certainly not any time soon."

"Oh, so you do know when it's too soon for something to happen."

Elizabeth took a deep breath, pushing down the anger welling up in her gut. "Would you excuse me? I need to check on Micah."

She quickly left the dining room without waiting for a response and made her way to the den, where Micah was napping peacefully in his portable crib.

"I think it's time for us to go, little bug," she whispered as she started packing his things back up.

Rosemary appeared in the doorway. "You're leaving?"

She nodded.

"I figured. I grabbed your things from the kitchen." She held up the little cooler.

"Thank you."

"Are you sure about leaving?"

Elizabeth nodded again. "I've done everything I can to help him understand my decision, but it obviously isn't working. If I stay, one of us is bound to say something that'll distance us even more, and I don't want that. I want him to stay in Micah's life."

Rosemary pulled her into a hug. "Just promise you won't let him come between you and Jack."

She sighed. "I won't." She pulled back. "Tell Lee and Lorelei I said goodbye."

"I will. You let me know when you get back so we can know you're safe."

"I will." She gave her one last hug. "Bye, Rosie. Happy Thanksgiving."

...

Rosemary returned to her seat beside Lee. Lorelei had fallen asleep in his lap, and she was snoring softly against his shoulder.

"Did I hear Elizabeth leave?" Leland leaned back in his chair.

"Yes."

"Well, why would she do that? She knew she was welcome to stay the night here."

Lee and Rosemary looked at each other, then back at Leland.

"Dad, you really don't know why?"

Marie chimed in. "You didn't need to question her like that, Leland. We don't need to know everything about her relationship with Jack."

"I just don't understand why they're even in a relationship right now. Pat hasn't even been gone for a year."

"And you've made it perfectly clear to her that you don't approve of this."

"You don't see them together, dad. She was heartbroken about Pat. Jack has helped her feel happy again."

"She's forgetting him. She's letting Jack play father to Micah. She's going to let that little boy—our grandson—grow up thinking another man is his dad."

"I can assure you she isn't. She still loves Patrick, and we all talk about him all the time when we're together. Jack isn't trying to replace him at all. And you haven't heard how often she talks about making sure Micah knows about his dad."

"Leland, it's her life and her decisions. I'm not thrilled she's dating someone else so soon, but we need to try to be supportive of her. Patrick would've wanted her to move on, to be happy."

"I just don't want our son to be erased."

"That's not going to happen, honey." Marie took his hand and squeezed it.

"Mom's right, dad. Even if Elizabeth marries Jack someday, she'll never forget what she had with Pat. _We'll _never forget it, either. And little Micah, he's so much like Patrick already."

"Leland, no matter what you think about this whole situation, you need to make an effort. She has our grandson, our bit of Patrick, and we can't push them away."

He sighed heavily. "I need to think."

...

Jack hurried down the stairs at the sound of the doorbell, tugging his pajama shirt over his head. Luna sat in front of the door, her little nub of a tail wagging furiously.

"Elizabeth? What are you doing here? Not that I'm not happy to see you, but I thought you were staying the night up there."

Without a word, she tucked herself against him, and he didn't hesitate to wrap her in his arms.

"Is everything okay?"

"I should've done Thanksgiving with you."

"That bad?"

"I knew Leland wasn't all that happy about us being together, but he's never said anything outright before. I mentioned that we wouldn't be moving into marriage or anything like that anytime soon, and he just said, 'oh, so you do know when it's too soon for something to happen.'"

"I'm so sorry."

"I got up and left right after that." She sighed. "I just wish he was okay with this."

"He'll come around."

"But Jack, what if he doesn't? What if he decides he doesn't want anything to do with me anymore? I want him to be in Micah's life."

"Micah's going to have his grandpa around. Don't worry. Here," he pulled away from her to pick up the car seat from the porch, "why don't you come in? I'll make you some hot chocolate."

"If I'm going to stay for a little while, I should probably get Micah's stuff from the car."

"You go do that. I'll get the hot chocolate started."

...

"Whipped cream? Marshmallows?" He held up the can of whipped cream and the bag of marshmallows. "Both? Neither?"

"Whipped cream, please."

He covered her drink with whipped cream and slid it across the table to her.

Elizabeth wrapped her fingers around the mug, warming her hands. "I don't want to talk about it right now."

Jack took a sip from his own mug. "I wasn't going to ask."

"How about you tell me how Thanksgiving went for you?"

"Well, Tom and Sarah and I did most of the cooking since my mom is still pretty hopeless in the kitchen." He chuckled. "She made some cookies, though, and they weren't completely burnt this time."

Elizabeth smiled. "Well, that's progress."

"Oh, and Opal has now decided she wants to be a singer and an actress."

"Oh really? What brought that on?"

"You know how they do the Broadway performances during the parade? She was completely entranced."

"I'm sure Rosie would love to help her with her acting skills." She laughed.

Jack joined in her laughter. "She would be in heaven."

"She would," Elizabeth agreed.

"Hey, I have an idea." Jack stood, holding out his hand.

She took it without question, and he led her into the living room. They settled on the sofa, hot chocolate in hand, and Jack turned on the TV, flipping through the channels until he found a Christmas movie.

When the credits started rolling an hour later, Elizabeth was dozing on his shoulder, her half-filled mug sitting cold on the coffee table.

"Beth, come on." He nudged her gently. "Let's get you to bed."

"Mm." She blinked sleepily, clearly still half-asleep.

He lifted her from the sofa, supporting most of her weight as they walked up the stairs. She was out again the moment her head hit the pillow. Jack tucked the blanket around her and kissed her forehead. "I love you."

He peeked into the portable crib he had set up beside the bed.

"Hey, little man." Jack brushed his finger across Micah's cheek. "You sleep well. I love you."

He smiled as he looked back at Elizabeth, who was still sleeping soundly. He turned down the light and closed the door as quietly as he could.

...

The following morning, Elizabeth came down the stairs, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. "Oh good. You have him."

"Yeah." Jack shifted Micah in his arms. "You seemed pretty exhausted last night, so I thought I'd take him and let you sleep a little longer this morning. I gave him a bottle already. I hope that's okay."

She took a seat beside him. "That's fine." She leaned her head on his shoulder. "You realize we broke our rule."

"Hm?"

"We said no more sleepovers."

"Oops." He kissed the top of her head. "At least we didn't end up in the same bed this time."

"True. Thanks for letting us stay here."

"You know you're always welcome."

She let out a heavy sigh. "I just wish yesterday had gone better."

"Do you want me to talk to him?"

"That might make things worse." She reached over to take Micah from him. "I guess he just needs time."

"He'll get there."

"I hope so." She touched Micah's cheek, eliciting a tiny smile. "Good morning, little bug. Have you been hanging out with Uncle Jack this morning? It was nice of him to let us stay here last night."

"Do you have anywhere you need to be today?"

She shook her head. "No. I planned to spend the day with Pat's parents, but obviously those plans are out the window now."

"Why don't you and Micah spend the day here? I was going to decorate the house, and I would love some help."

"I mean, Micah's not going to be much help."

"Ha ha." He kissed her nose. "I wasn't talking about getting help from him."

"I would love to help you decorate your house." She pressed her lips to his. "On one condition."

"What's that?"

"I get to pick the music."

He grinned. "Deal."

An hour later, they were elbow deep in boxes of Christmas decorations, an Andy Williams Christmas album playing over the speaker.

Jack strung lights on the tree while Elizabeth untangled a string of garland and hung it on the banister.

She swayed to the music as she tied ribbons to the garland. Jack dropped what he was doing and pulled her into his arms.

She laughed as he spun her around the room.

He kissed her deeply when the song ended, then pulled her close when the next song began. "I love you, Beth."

She leaned her head against his chest as they turned in slow circles. "I love you, Jack."


	17. Chapter 17

A/N Thanks for your patience with this story, everyone, and thanks for the kind words about the last few chapters! I'll try not to take nearly a month for the next chapter.

...

"Hey, can you stop for a second? I want to talk to you about something."

"Uh, sure." Elizabeth put the ornament down and stepped toward Jack.

He took her hand and pulled her down beside him on the sofa.

"You have me worried."

"Don't be." He gave her a crooked smile. "So, when you first got here last night, you said you told Leland that we wouldn't be moving into marriage anytime soon."

"I did." She slipped her fingers through his.

"First off, I want you to know that I'm okay with that. But it got me wondering, do you see us getting there eventually?"

"Yes, Jack. I mean, I'm not ready now, and I don't know when I will be, but yes. I'll be ready someday. As long as you're willing to wait for me to get there."

"I'll wait as long as you need me to." He kissed her nose.

"Even if it takes me years before I'm ready?"

"Even if we're eighty years old and I have to use a cane to stay upright at the front of the church."

She chuckled. "I'll try not to take that long to be ready."

"Good." He slipped his arms around her, resting his hands on the small of her back.

"While we're talking," she sat up straighter, "there's something I've been wondering about."

"Yes?" He brushed his nose against hers.

"I was wondering if you'd like to spend Christmas with me."

"I thought you were spending Christmas with your parents."

"I am. But I thought, maybe, if you don't have plans…"

He took her hands. "I would love to spend Christmas with you and your parents, but are you sure? It's your first Christmas without Pat. I would understand if you wanted to spend the holiday with just your family."

"I want you with me, Jack."

"Then I will be there."

"Thank you. I'll get you a plane ticket and let my parents know you're coming." She leaned forward and kissed him. "Can we get back to decorating now?"

"Not just yet."

She looked at him curiously. "Is there something else you want to talk about?"

"No. I just wanted to do this." He pressed his lips to hers, kissing her deeply.

She sighed against him, dragging her fingers across his back and slipping them under his shirt. They pulled back simultaneously when they realized things were getting too heated.

Elizabeth rested her forehead against his as they attempted to catch their breath. "I think it's time to get back to decorating."

He chuckled. "I think you're right."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

She leaned in to kiss him again, but they were interrupted by her phone ringing.

Her face dropped when she looked at the screen. "I'm going to take this upstairs. Can you keep an eye on Micah?"

"Yeah, of course."

He watched her climb the stairs, wondering why her demeanor suddenly changed when she saw who was calling.

Upstairs, she entered the guest room, shutting the door behind her before she accepted the call. "Leland?"

"Hi, Lizzy. Do you have time to talk?"

"Uh, sure, I guess." She sat on the bed, tucking her legs beneath her.

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday. It was wrong of me to speak to you like that."

"Well, thank you for saying that. And I'm sorry for leaving so suddenly."

"I don't blame you for that. In the spirit of open and honest communication, I do have to admit that I still feel that it's too soon for you to be with someone else. But Marie reminded me that it's your life and your decision. I'm not in your position, so it's not my place to say what decision is or isn't right. If Jack makes you happy, then I'll support you."

"He makes me very happy. And for the record, Pat did, too. I was so happy with him, happier than I'd ever been in my life." She blinked away the tears that began to fill her eyes. "My being with Jack in no way negates what I had with Patrick. I'm not trying to find a replacement for him. He'll always be my first husband, my first love. And even though they never got to meet each other, he's Micah's dad. Nothing changes that."

There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment.

"Rosie and Lee said you tell Micah about him?"

"I do, every single day. There are even a few pictures of Pat in his room. He's going to know all about his dad."

"Good."

"Jack tells him about Pat, too. He and Lee actually put together a book for Micah that's filled with pictures and stories about Pat."

"Really?"

"Really," Elizabeth confirmed. "I'll bring it with me the next time we come visit."

"I'd like that." She could hear the smile in his voice. "Well, I'm sure you have things to do, so I'll let you go. Thank you for hearing me out."

"Thank you for your apology. I'll talk to you and Marie soon."

"Goodbye, Lizzy."

Jack knocked on the door just as she was hanging up the phone.

"Hey." He peeked into the room. "Sorry to interrupt, but little man here is getting fussy, and I couldn't find any more milk for him."

"You're not interrupting anything. Just bring him here." She held out her hands, and Jack passed her son to her. "He's in the middle of a growth spurt, so he's already gone through all the milk I packed for him." She settled the baby in to eat, pulling a blanket over him. "That was Leland on the phone, by the way. He was calling to apologize for yesterday."

"Wow. I bet you weren't expecting that."

"Not at all. I guess Marie had a talk with him after I left."

"I always knew I liked her." He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "I'm going to get back downstairs and make sure Luna hasn't eaten all the decorations."

"I'll be down as soon as he's finished."

...

Marie quietly came into the living room. "Who was that on the phone?"

"Lizzy." He set his phone on the coffee table in front of him. "I called her to apologize for my behavior yesterday."

"Good." She handed him a mug of tea. "Thank you for doing that. I know how hard it is to admit when you're wrong."

"You were right, though. They're our connection to Patrick, and it would be a shame to lose them over something so trivial."

"I love you, Leland." She kissed his cheek.

"Nana!" Lorelei burst through the door, barreling through the house. "Hot chocolate?"

"Lorelei Coulter, ask nicely." Lee strode into the room, Rosemary on his arm.

"Hot chocolate, please?"

"Why don't you help me make it? I'll let you stir."

"Yes!" She ran into the kitchen, not even glancing back to check that her grandmother was following.

Rosemary chuckled. "I should probably go make sure she doesn't make a mess of their kitchen."

Alone with his father, Lee took a seat on the sofa beside him. "You look happy, dad."

"I am. I apologized to Elizabeth, and she forgave me."

"That's good."

"I was stupid to get so angry with her. She isn't doing anything wrong by moving on. And I got to thinking about it, we should be happy that of all the people for her to choose, she chose Jack. He knew Pat, so he can help make sure Micah knows all about him."

"Exactly. They're good for each other, and Pat is still very much present in their lives."

"I think that's my biggest fear: that Patrick will be forgotten."

"That won't happen, dad." Lee draped his arm across his father's shoulders. "Pat made too much of an impact on people's lives to be forgotten."

...

"Uh, Jack?" Elizabeth called out. "Can you come here? I need some help."

He hurried up the stairs. "What's up?"

"Can you go in my bag and grab a clean diaper and some clean clothes for him? His diaper leaked, so I need to give him a bath."

"Do you need anything else?"

She shifted the baby in her arms. "A towel would be great. And a washcloth, please."

"On it." He crossed the room to where her suitcase was laying. "You can use the master, if you want. The sink is bigger. Towels and washcloths and things are in the linen cabinet in there."

"Thank you, Jack." She padded across the hall, through his room, and into the master bathroom.

She turned on the tap and waited for the water to warm up.

"You're a mess, little bug." She chuckled as he squirmed in her arms. "You're making a mess of me, too."

A few moments later, Jack walked in with a fresh diaper and clean clothes for Micah. "I know these are pajamas, but I figured these are the warmest option."

"That's perfect. Thank you," she stated as she lowered the baby into the water.

Micah smiled and kicked his little feet, splashing water onto the counter.

"You like baths, huh, little man?" Jack set the clothes on the counter—as far from the water as possible—and touched Micah's cheek.

"He loves them, and I'm so thankful for that. I've heard so many stories about babies who just scream at the top of their lungs as soon as the water touches them."

"Opal was that way until she was almost three. I always found an excuse to leave if I was over there at bath time."

Elizabeth laughed. "Oh goodness."

"And to make things even worse, she loved to play in the dirt and paint and basically do any activity that made a mess."

"So she had to take even more baths."

Jack nodded and laughed. "She's a smart kid, but apparently, she never put that together."

"I wonder what kinds of things Micah will like to do."

"Maybe he'll like to swim, since he seems to love the water so much."

"Maybe." She smiled sadly. "I hope he's like Pat."

"Well, I'm sure he got more than just his looks from Pat."

"He does look so much like his dad. Except this blonde hair." She gently poured water over the top of his head. "I was so sure it would get darker as he got older, but I think it's actually gotten lighter."

"Yeah." He chuckled. "Who would've thought you and Pat would have a little towhead?"

"Wow, I think it's been years since I've heard someone use the word 'towhead.'"

"Well, it's not often that it can be used in conversation, so you have to take every opportunity that comes. Like 'penultimate.' Classic word, but it can't be used much."

"You're such a dork, Jack Thornton."

He gave her a crooked smile. "I try."

"Well, I, uh, think it might be my turn for a bath now." She looked down at her now-soaking wet shirt and laughed.

"I can keep an eye on the little man for you."

"Let me just get him dried off and dressed." She lifted him from the sink and wrapped him in the towel.

He held out his arms. "I can dress him. You just go get some dry clothes, and I'll run the bath for you."

She passed the baby to him. "Bless you, Jack Thornton." She returned a few minutes later and found Jack sitting on the edge of his bed, a now fully-clothed Micah snuggled up in his arms. "Apparently, in making sure I had plenty of clothes for Micah, I forgot to make sure I had enough for me."

"Do you need to borrow something?"

"No. I'll just put on what I wore yesterday." She motioned toward the stack of clothes in her hands. "It's only for a little while, since I'll be going home later, anyway."

"You don't have to go."

She raised her eyebrows. "Yes, I do, Jack. We've talked about this before. Just because we broke our no sleepovers rule last night doesn't mean we just throw it out the window."

"Fine. I guess you have a point there." He lifted Micah to his shoulder. "The tub is ready for you. Sorry that I don't have any fancy bubble bath or bath salts or anything."

"That's okay. Thank you for getting it ready. Please don't go confusing Micah by teaching him random words." She winked and kissed him softly before retreating into the bathroom.

"Well, little man, what should we do now? Go find a dictionary and learn some new words?" He chuckled. He carried Micah downstairs and settled onto the couch, reaching for the remote. "How about we see if there are any good Christmas movies on today?"

...

When Elizabeth came down the stairs half an hour later, Jack was lying back on the sofa, Micah fast asleep on his chest.

"Hey," she spoke quietly.

"Hey." He rubbed Micah's back. "I should go put him down, huh?"

"No, no. He looks comfortable there."

He shifted his feet to make room on the end of the sofa for her, and she took a seat.

"You look beautiful."

"With my wrinkled clothes and wet hair?"

A flush spread through his cheeks. "I didn't actually intend to say that out loud. But I do mean it. You really do look beautiful." He nudged her with his foot. "I love you, Beth."

"I love you, too."

They were quiet for a few minutes, Elizabeth watching the movie playing on the TV and Jack watching Elizabeth. He got up when he noticed her shiver. "I'll be right back."

He took Micah upstairs and carefully lowered him into the portable crib, making sure the baby monitor was on before he stepped across the hall to his own room.

"Here." Jack held out an old, faded OU sweatshirt. "You looked chilly."

"Thank you." She slipped it over her head as he took a seat beside her. "Mm, cozy."

He looked at her and shook his head. "I knew it."

"What?"

"You look better in that sweatshirt than I do."

She rolled her eyes and smiled. "Whatever."

He pulled her to his chest, kissing the top of her head. "Are you feeling okay, Beth? You feel warm, and you look a little pale."

She shrugged. "I think I might be getting a cold."

He reached over and touched her forehead. "You definitely have a fever. Why don't you just stay here again tonight?"

"Jack, no. I'll be okay."

"But I can take care of you if you stay here."

"I've had colds before. I can handle it. Besides, Micah should probably sleep in his own bed tonight."

"Okay. But you'd better call me if you need anything."

"I will." She snuggled into him. "Jack? I'm thinking of having Micah baptized after Christmas."

"Mm, okay." He wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm going to ask Rosie and Lee to be his godparents, but I'd like it if you stood up there with us, too."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Pat would want you up there with us. Even if we weren't dating, you're like family."

He tightened his arms around her, kissing her hair. "Just tell me when, and I will be there."

"Thank you, Jack."

Within a few minutes, she had dozed off on his shoulder. His arm started falling asleep, but he just held her tighter, thinking about a day when he would be more than just 'like family' to her and Micah.

...

"Hi, Jack."

"Hi, love. Are you feeling better today?"

"Much better, thanks to that soup you forced on me."

He laughed. "I didn't force it on you. I just…encouraged you to eat it."

"Tomato to-mah-to." She grinned. "Now, as much as I'd love to sit here and talk to you, I just got to the Coulters', and I'm certain Rosie is watching through the window and wondering why I haven't gotten out of my car yet."

"Oh, I forgot you were going over there. See you tomorrow?"

"Or I may stop by on my way home. If that's okay, of course."

"You know you're welcome over here anytime."

"Okay. See you soon. Love you, professor."

The smile was evident in his voice. "Love you, too."

An hour and a half later, Elizabeth, Rosemary, and Lee sat around the table, sipping coffee and nibbling on gingerbread cookies.

Elizabeth set down her mug and took a deep breath, shifted Micah in her lap. "I have a question for you guys."

"Ask away."

"I'm having Micah baptized after Christmas. Will you be his godparents?"

"We'd love to be his godparents." Lee reached across the table and took Elizabeth's hand, squeezing her fingers gently.

"I hate that I'm having to make these major decisions about Micah's life without Pat, but I know without a doubt that he would've chosen you guys to be Micah's godparents, too."

"We're honored, Elizabeth."

She felt tears in her eyes as she looked down at her son sleeping in her lap. "It breaks my heart that we don't have Pat here for all these big moments, but I'm so happy we have you two."

"And Jack." Rosemary raised her eyebrows.

Elizabeth wiped her eyes and smiled. "And Jack."

...

Jack reached for his phone when it buzzed on his desk. "Hey, Rosie. What's up?"

"Hey, Jack. Is there any way you could pick up Micah from daycare today for Elizabeth?"

"Sure. I just have one more class, and then I can stop by and get him on my way home. But why are you asking me and not Elizabeth?"

"Uh, she's a little busy right now. You can just take him to her house and hang out there until she gets home. You have a key, right?"

"Yes. Do you know how late she'll be?"

"I'm not sure. It depends."

"On what? Seriously, Rosie. Is everything okay? Did something happen to Elizabeth?"

"Everything's fine, Jack. Elizabeth is fine. Mostly. There was just…an incident at work."

"But where is she, Rosemary?"

"She's in the hospital."

"She's in the hospital?!" Jack pushed back from the desk. "What happened?!"

"I'm not entirely sure. Her supervisor just called me and asked me to meet her here. She was already back with the doctors by the time I got here, so I haven't seen her."

"What hospital?"

"You don't need to come here, Jack. I promise, she'll be fine. The best thing you can do is finish your work and then go get Micah."

"Fine," he huffed.

"Everything will be okay, Jack. I'll bring her home as soon as she's discharged."

"I guess I'll see you later, then. Keep me posted?"

"Will do."


	18. Chapter 18

A/N Sorry for leaving you with a bit of a cliffhanger on that last chapter! I hope this chapter makes up for it!

...

"Hello, Jack. Are you here to pick up Micah?"

"Yes." He nodded, reaching for the pen to sign him out. "Elizabeth had something come up."

She went over to the cabinets and grabbed the diaper bag and car seat, bringing them over to Jack. "I never realized how unpredictable a therapist's schedule can be."

"Me neither. Luckily my schedule isn't so unpredictable."

"I'll just get him for you, then."

"Thank you."

She returned a few moments later with the baby. "He was really good today."

"Good." He took Micah from her. "I'll see you later, then."

"Have a good evening."

"You, too." He buckled Micah into his car seat and carried him outside. "Well, little man, I guess you and I get to have some bonding time while we wait for your mama to get home."

He made a stop at his house to let the dog out before heading to Elizabeth's house.

"Well, Micah," he carried the baby inside and lifted him from the car seat, "what should we do? I don't know what happened to your mama, so I don't know how long it'll be before she gets home. To tell you the truth, I'm a little worried about her. Your Aunt Rosie said she's fine, so hopefully nothing too bad happened."

Micah just looked up at him, wide-eyed, as he spoke.

"Are you hungry? I can make you a bottle. Or we can see what's on TV, or maybe we could read a book. What do you think, little man?"

...

Jack scrambled off the couch when his phone rang across the room.

"Hey, Rosie? What's up? How's Elizabeth?"

She let out a breathy laugh. "She's fine, Jack. She's signing the discharge paperwork right now, and then I'll bring her home."

"But what exactly happened to her?"

"She can explain everything, but the short story is that her shoulder was dislocated, so she'll be in a sling for a little while."

"How on earth did that happen at work?! She's a therapist, not an athlete."

"Again, Jack, just wait for her to explain everything."

"Who's that?" Elizabeth's voice was slightly muffled.

"Was that Elizabeth? Can I talk to her?"

There was a shuffling and then Elizabeth's voice was clear over the line. "Jack."

"Hi, Beth. Are you okay? Rosie said you dislocated your shoulder."

"I'm fine, Jack. It's nothing serious. We're heading home now, and then I'll tell you everything that happened. How's Micah?"

"He's great. I gave him a bottle and he's taking a little nap right now."

"Good."

He sighed. "Elizabeth."

"Hm?"

"It's good to hear your voice. I was worried."

"I'm really okay, Jack. You didn't need to worry."

"I can't help it. I love you, Beth."

"I love you, too. I'll see you soon, okay?"

"See you soon."

...

Jack paced the living room as he waited for Elizabeth to get home.

The moment the door opened, he hurried to the entryway and put his arm around her. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. A little sore. Where's Micah?"

"He's hanging out in his swing. He's been fine."

"Oh, good." She turned toward Rosemary. "Thank you for driving me, Rosie."

"Of course. Let me know if you need anything."

"I will. I'll see you later." Once Rosemary left, she returned her attention to Jack. "Okay, I'm hungry, and I want to see my baby."

"I'll get you something. What sounds good?" He led her into the living room and to the sofa.

"I think I have some leftover chili in the fridge, but I can get it, Jack."

"You need to rest. Just sit here with the little man." He lifted Micah from his swing and laid him beside Elizabeth, arranging the pillows so he wouldn't roll off.

She grinned, brushing her finger across his cheek. "Hi, little bug. I missed you. Were you good for Uncle Jack?"

"He's been good, but I think he missed you. They said he was good at daycare today, too."

"You're such a good boy, Micah Patrick." The little baby smiled back up at her.

"I'll go get you your food now."

"Hey, can you get me an ice pack while you're in there?"

"Sure."

...

Jack held Micah while Elizabeth ate her dinner. He wanted so badly to know what had happened, but he didn't want to press her if she didn't want to talk about it.

She met his eyes. "Did I thank you for picking up Micah and watching him for me? If I haven't, thank you."

"You're welcome, but it wasn't a big deal."

"Yes, it was. It made me feel so much better knowing he was with you." She took another bite of food. "I know it's driving you crazy not knowing what happened."

"You don't have to tell me."

"No, I'll tell you." She set aside her empty bowl and tray, settling back against the arm of the sofa. "So, I have this client I've been seeing for a while. He's gotten aggressive before, but never with me. It's usually just throwing toys or kicking chairs, things like that. I don't know what exactly provoked him today, but he pushed me hard enough into the wall to dislocate my shoulder."

"That's awful."

"It's just frustrating because he had made so much progress. Now, we had to put him inpatient, which means we'll probably be starting from square one when he's back with us."

"But what does this mean for you? Will you still be his therapist?"

"I'm not sure. That's up to my supervisor, I guess."

"And what about your shoulder? How long will you be in the sling?"

"It depends on how quickly it starts to heal. Hopefully I won't have to wear it too long. They did an x-ray and nothing was torn or broken, so they were able to get it back in place pretty easily. I'll go see my doctor in a week, and she should have a better idea of a timeline and everything then. Until I see her, I'm supposed to wear the sling all the time, except when I shower or feed Micah."

"So, will you have to take off work until the sling is off?"

"No. Rosie already offered to drive me when she can, and I'm sure some of my coworkers would be willing to give me a ride."

"I can drive you sometimes, too. Or I can help you get Micah to and from daycare. Whatever you need."

"Oh, it would be great if you could help with Micah."

"And I can stay here until you get cleared."

"Jack, I'm capable of taking care of myself."

"I know you are, but I want to help." He leaned across the sofa and kissed her forehead. "I promise I won't try to sneak in your bed in the middle of the night."

"Jack, I don't—"

He pressed his lips to hers, cutting her off. "Please. I know we have our no sleepovers rule, but I can help you with Micah so you don't have to worry about picking him up one-handed, and I can help you cook and clean and stuff."

"I can't ask you to do that."

"You're not asking. I'm offering."

She sighed, resigning herself to that fact that he wasn't going to take no for an answer. "Fine. But you're staying in the guest room no matter how much we may want to share a bed."

"Got it." He chuckled. "I'll just need to run home and get my things and grab Luna, and then I'll be back. Do you need anything before I go?"

"Just Micah." She reached toward him with her good arm. "I haven't held him all day."

Once Jack was satisfied that the baby was comfortably nestled in Elizabeth's lap, he kissed them both and headed out the door to pick up his things from his house.

...

Luna bounced through the door ahead of him. "I'm back."

"I figured." Elizabeth laughed as Luna licked her face.

Jack gently pulled the dog away from Elizabeth. "Where's Micah?"

"Up in my room. He fell asleep, and it was close enough to when I usually put him down that I went ahead and put him to bed."

"I could've helped you put him down." He sank down on the sofa beside her.

"Well, you can help me change his diaper and put him in actual pajamas when he wakes up in half an hour to eat." She yawned and leaned back against Jack's chest. "I'm really glad Micah and I have you."

He kissed the top of her head. "Well, I'm glad I have you and Micah." He rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "I was really worried about you today. When Rosie called me today and said you were in the hospital, it just brought me back to the day she called and told me about Pat."

She looked up at him. "I'm sorry, Jack. I didn't mean to worry you like that. But I'm fine now. I'm here."

"I know. I just…" he paused, feeling tears form in his eyes. "I love you so much."

...

"Uh, Jack? Can you come here?"

He lowered Micah into the bassinet and stood outside the bathroom door. "What do you need?"

"I need you to come in here."

"Are you decent?"

"Mostly. Just come in here, please."

"_Mostly _decent? What does that mean?" He pushed the door open with one hand, covering his eyes with the other.

She laughed. "Get in here, Jack. And I need both of your hands for this."

He peeked through his fingers. She had her sling off and one arm partly out of her sleeve.

"This might be a little awkward, but I need help changing my shirt."

"You, uh, need me to, uh…" he trailed off, feeling flustered.

"I know this is weird, but I can't lift my arm over my head, which is making this difficult to do by myself. I think if you can just help me get this off, I should be fine from there."

"Okay. You'll have to talk me through it." He squeezed his eyes shut.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, I just figured that, since we have a rule not to share a bed, we should probably make it a rule not to see each other undressed."

Her cheeks reddened at the thought. "Good point."

With a bit of fumbling, he was able to help her out of her shirt and into her pajama top.

She touched his cheek. "You can open your eyes now." Her face was still flushed a light pink, and her hair was slightly tousled. "Thank you for helping me."

He leaned down and kissed her nose. "Anytime."

"I should probably feed Micah now."

"Probably."

She stood on her toes and pressed her lips to his, quickly, sweetly. "I love you, Jack."

...

Over the next couple of weeks, Elizabeth's shoulder began healing, she returned to work, and she started going to physical therapy. Jack stayed at her house for the first week—in the guest room, of course—to help her with anything she needed, to take her to work, to get Micah to and from daycare. He would have stayed with her longer, but she insisted she could handle things on her own. He finally relented, with the promise that she would call him if she needed anything, day or night.

Two days before Christmas, they sat in the airport, waiting for their flight to board. Jack gently bounced Micah on his knee while Elizabeth dug through the diaper bag.

"What are you looking for?"

"His pacifier. I want to make sure we can get to it for take-off and landing."

"Oh, for his ears with the pressure change, right?"

She nodded. "I don't want him to be fussing and bothering everyone on the plane."

"I'm sure he'll be fine. Won't you, little man?" Jack tickled his belly, eliciting a little laugh.

"Found it!" She held up the pacifier, then moved it to an exterior pocket of the bag. "Okay, now we're ready."

An hour later, they were seated in the plane, soaring thousands of feet above the ground. Jack reached over and took Elizabeth's hand.

"Are you excited to see your parents?"

She nodded. "I know I just saw them a few months ago when Micah was born, but it feels like it's been a long time. And I haven't seen my sisters since the funeral. They haven't even met Micah, yet."

"Are their husbands coming, too?"

"I think so. My mom didn't say anything otherwise."

"And what are their names again? Andrew and…?"

"Sterling."

Jack let go of her hand and shifted Micah to his shoulder, rubbing his back when he started to whine. "Tell me about them. I don't want to be clueless going into this."

"Andrew and Julie met in college. He's an architect. They've been married for about a year and a half now, and they live in St. Louis. Sterling works for my dad's company; he's the boss at the Indianapolis branch. He and Viola have been married five years."

"And none of them have kids?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Micah's the only Thatcher grandbaby right now." She smiled and brushed her fingers across Micah's cheek.

"Okay, should be easy enough to remember."

Their flight wasn't long, but by the time the plane began its descent in Chicago, Elizabeth and Micah were both asleep, Elizabeth leaning on Jack's shoulder and Micah resting against his chest.

Jack smiled, reveling in the moment before the plane would land and disturb their peace.

Elizabeth startled awake when the plane touched down, looking confused for a few seconds before she remembered where she was.

"Oh, Jack. I'm sorry I fell asleep."

"Don't apologize. Micah and I were fine. You needed the rest. Although I could've done without your drooling."

She wiped her mouth, looking mortified when she saw the wet spot on Jack's shirt.

He chuckled, leaning over to kiss her. "I'm kidding. That was all Micah. You're very prim and proper in your sleep. No drooling, no snoring."

She rolled her eyes. "So mean, Jack Thornton. I might just have to uninvite you from the Christmas festivities."

He gasped, feigning shock. "You wouldn't dare."

She shrugged, looking smug. "I might."

"Come on." He took her hand. "Let's go get our bags and find your parents."

...

Jack sat in the living room with Andrew and Sterling. Elizabeth had been corralled into the den by her sisters the moment they had arrived, and she was busy introducing them to Micah.

"So, you're the Jack we've been hearing about? You're dating Elizabeth?"

Jack nodded, wringing his hands nervously in his lap. He didn't know Elizabeth's brothers-in-law well, and he had no idea what sort of questions they would ask.

"Well, she seems really happy with you. I wasn't sure how things would be this year, since Patrick's gone."

"I can't even imagine what it was like for her. And then with the baby, too. Just the thought of losing Julie…" Andrew shook his head. "I don't know how Elizabeth's gotten through it."

"We're all glad she's had you to lean on this past year."

Jack let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "I'm glad I've been able to be there for her. She's one of my best friends. I love her a lot. Micah, too."

"That's good to hear." William entered the room. He put his hand on Jack's shoulder. "I know she loves you a lot, as well."

"I'm really blessed to have her and Micah in my life."

William walked around the sofa, taking a seat beside Jack. "Are you thinking about making it official?" He raised his eyebrows.

"I've been thinking a lot about that." He glanced at the door, making sure Elizabeth wouldn't overhear. "I've actually been looking at rings recently, although I'm not planning to ask her anytime soon. We've talked about it, and she doesn't feel ready to be married again just yet."

"But you'll ask her eventually?"

Jack nodded. "As soon as she's ready. She and Micah are my family, and I want nothing more than to marry her and make him my son."

"Well, when you do ask her, tell her Julie will be more than happy to help with the wedding planning," Andrew chuckled.

"Vi, too," Sterling added.

Jack inhaled deeply, beginning to feel overwhelmed with emotion. "You have no idea how wonderful it is for us to have all this love and support from you guys. Not everyone has seen our relationship so positively, and it's been tough on Elizabeth."

"We're just happy to see her happy."

...

"Hey, guys." Elizabeth poked her head into the living room. "Jack, would you mind helping me take my bags upstairs?"

"Sure." He hopped up from the sofa and retrieved her and Micah's bags from the entryway.

She led him up the stairs and down the hall to her childhood bedroom. He deposited her bags just inside the door as she settled onto the bed to feed Micah.

"I'll leave you to it. Can you point me to my room, Beth?"

"Uh, you're actually staying in here with me and Micah. I guess I wasn't thinking when I invited you that there wouldn't be a spare room for you. I hope that's okay." She pulled a blanket up to cover herself and the baby.

Jack raised his eyebrows. "Your parents are encouraging us to share a room?"

"Apparently."

"Well, I can sleep on the floor. Don't worry about having to share the bed. We're already breaking the no sleepover rule—again—so we don't need to break another one."

"I invited you here, Jack. I'm not letting you sleep on the floor. You can sleep in the bed, too. I don't mind. But no funny business. Just because we're throwing out some rules during this trip doesn't mean we're throwing out all of them."

"Even if we were throwing out our rules, I'm not about to try anything in your parents' house with your whole family here," he chuckled, "so don't worry."

"Good."

"Well, I guess I'll go get my bags and bring them in here, then."

"We'll be right here."

...

"Your tie is crooked." Elizabeth reached up to straighten it.

"And you shouldn't be reaching up like that. You're going to hurt your shoulder again."

"It's fine. I'm supposed to be exercising it, anyway." She brushed his hand away and finished tightening the knot. "There. You look very handsome, Jack Thornton."

"Thank you." He kissed her nose. "And you look very beautiful, Elizabeth Coulter."

"Thank you." She took his hands. "Let's get going."

At the church, Elizabeth sat in the pew between her parents and Jack, with Micah sitting in her lap. Jack kept his arm on the pew behind her, just lightly brushing his fingers against her shoulder.

Jack loved hearing her voice as she sang along with the familiar Christmas carols. Even Micah was mesmerized, staring up at his mother every time the music started, a tiny smile playing on his lips.

She seemed completely at peace, and for that, Jack was thankful.

After the service, Grace insisted that they take some family pictures in front of the Christmas tree in the church. Jack sneaked a few candid photos of Elizabeth and Micah before she urged him to join her for a couple of pictures.

His heart was full as he stood beside them, the two people who were his entire world.

...

Christmas day was a blur.

Everyone woke early for a big breakfast before opening presents. Although Elizabeth was happy to be with her family, Patrick's absence was almost palpable to her.

She hated that he wasn't there to watch their son smile and let out his first laughs as toys were held up in front of his face and he was hugged and cuddled by his aunts and uncles.

She hated that he wouldn't meet their new nephews—Julie had announced that she and Andrew were expecting a little boy in the spring, and Viola and Sterling announced they were in the process of adopting a young boy.

She couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy that her sisters had their husbands with them on their journey to parenthood. As much as she loved Jack and as grateful as she was for his presence in both her and Micah's lives, she had to admit that it wasn't quite the same.

By the end of the day, she was exhausted, both physically and emotionally.

Jack fell asleep almost immediately. She sat up beside him, Micah laying across her lap.

"Well, you made it through your first Christmas, little bug. What did you think of it?" Elizabeth touched his cheek. "I wish your daddy could have been here for it. You know, he loved Christmas."

She looked over at the window, watching the snow fall as she reminisced about the last Christmas she spent with her husband.

_Elizabeth woke to the smell of peppermint and pancakes—the Coulter family had a tradition of eating pancakes for breakfast on Christmas morning, and Patrick insisted on continuing that tradition after he and Elizabeth were married._

_She pulled on her robe and traipsed down the stairs, finding her husband at the stove, flipping pancakes._

_ "__Good morning, Santa." She stepped up behind him and tugged on the red and white hat perched on his head._

_He grinned and kissed her cheek. "Morning, Lizzy. Coffee?"_

_ "__Mm, yes please."_

_He poured her a cup, placing a candy cane in it. "Peppermint coffee to go with our chocolate chip pancakes."_

_She took the mug from him. "Thank you."_

_Later that day, they sat on the sofa in his parents' house. Elizabeth was snuggled up to him, as close as possible, while a Christmas movie played on the television. Rosie and Lee sat on the opposite side of the sofa, watching Lorelei play with her new toys._

_Patrick moved one hand to Elizabeth's stomach. "You know, Lizzy, we could have one on the way next Christmas."_

_A flush rose in her cheeks and she put her hand on his. "I can't wait. You're going to be a wonderful father, Patrick Coulter."_

_ "__And you'll be a wonderful mother." He kissed the top of her head. "Hey, Liz, if you change your mind, we could actually have one with us next Christmas. In our arms, not in your belly."_

"I was so adamant that I wanted to wait." She looked down at Micah, who was still staring up at her, just as he had been the whole time she recounted her memories with Patrick. "Little did I know that you were about to come into existence, Micah Patrick. And now here you are, in my arms this Christmas, just like your daddy said."

Micah yawned, blinking his eyes sleepily.

"Oh, Micah, I love you so much more than you'll ever know. You are the greatest gift I've ever received."

"He is pretty perfect."

"Jack." Elizabeth startled, wiping her eyes. "I thought you were asleep."

"Nope. Just resting my eyes. That was a good story you told him about Pat. May I?" He motioned toward Micah.

She nodded. He reached over and took the now-sleeping baby from her, carrying him around the bed and to his crib.

"I wish Pat was here."

Jack returned to his side of the bed and pulled Elizabeth against him. "So do I. I miss him a lot."

"I'm really glad you're here." She leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Merry Christmas, Elizabeth."

"Merry Christmas, Jack."


	19. Chapter 19

"Hi, Elizabeth." Faith invited her into the house, giving her a quick hug. "It's good to see you."

"You, too. You look great." She passed Micah to Faith briefly while she took off her coat, hanging it by the door. "How are you feeling?"

Faith sighed. "Exhausted. Sore. You name it."

"Well, get used to the exhaustion. It's not going away anytime soon." Elizabeth chuckled, taking her son back.

"So I've heard." Faith joined in her laughter. "Now, let's go introduce you to Micah's new best friend."

They headed down the hall to the nursery. Faith smiled as she reached into the crib, lifting her son into her arms.

"This is Ezra Alexander Cantrell."

"He's beautiful, Faith."

"Isn't he? I think he looks just like Shane." Her smile widened as she brushed her finger across his cheek.

"What do you think, Micah? You think you'll be friends with Ezra?" Elizabeth shifted him to her other hip. He just stared at the baby, obviously unsure what to think. "It's hard to believe Micah was that small just a few months ago."

She nodded. "It is amazing how quickly they grow."

"How is Philip handling being a big brother?"

"Oh, he loves it. He helps out with anything he can. He keeps asking when he'll start eating from a bottle so he can help with feedings. And he even changes diapers—only wet ones, but still."

"That's wonderful."

"We really lucked out. I know my older brother wanted nothing to do with me when I was born," she chuckled, "so I was just hoping Philip wouldn't ignore him. I never dreamed he would do so well with this transition."

Elizabeth smiled and looked at Micah. "I wonder if Micah would like being a brother."

Faith lifted Ezra to her shoulder. "Are you thinking of having another? Perhaps with a handsome professor?" She gave Elizabeth a mischievous smile.

She shrugged, feeling warmth flood her cheeks. "I don't know. Maybe someday. Certainly not while Micah's still so young. Truthfully, though, I haven't really thought about it." She touched Micah's face, and he tucked his head against her shoulder. "Anyway, is Shane doing okay? I know you had mentioned he was pretty nervous about the birth and everything."

"He's doing better. He kept insisting that the nurses check on me every half hour the entire time I was in the hospital."

"Oh dear."

"Yeah, it was…a lot." She smiled sadly. "But as annoying as it was, it wasn't hurting anyone, so I just went along with it. It gave him peace of mind."

"Well, I'm glad everything's okay. And I'm glad this little guy is doing well." She smiled, reaching over to touch Ezra's tiny foot.

"Me too."

...

A week later, Jack sat in his car in Elizabeth's driveway, trying her phone one more time. It went straight to voicemail, the same as it had every other time he called her that morning. Rosemary and Lee had said they had the same results when they tried to call.

He let himself inside and quietly padded through the house. "Elizabeth, love, are you okay?" He found her curled up in the center of her bed, fast asleep, a pile of tissues on the nightstand. Even with her eyes closed, he could tell she had been crying. "Oh, Elizabeth." He brushed the hair back from her face and dropped a kiss on her forehead.

Micah was beginning to stir in the crib against the wall.

"Hey, little man," he spoke quietly as he lifted the baby into his arms. "Are you hungry? Let's go see if there's a bottle for you somewhere."

He carried him down to the kitchen and found a full bottle already made up in the refrigerator.

"Perfect. Let's get this warmed up for you."

A few minutes later, he settled on the sofa, Micah situated in his lap. He eagerly took the bottle Jack offered.

"Wow, you must be really hungry, bud." Jack watched him in silence for a few moments as he gulped down his milk. "So, your mama's not feeling well, huh? Today is a tough day for her, little man. It's been a year since your daddy died. We all miss him very much, but it's different for your mama." He sighed. "I still remember that day like it was yesterday."

_"Rosie, what's up?"_

_"Jack."_

_He could immediately tell by her tone that something was very wrong. His stomach dropped. "What happened?"_

_"It's Pat. They said it was an aneurysm or something. I can't remember exactly what they said, but I guess he was bleeding into his brain and…" she sniffled. "They don't think he'll wake up."_

_"Oh God." Tears welled up in his eyes._

_"Elizabeth and Marie and Leland have to decide if they want to take him off of life support."_

_"What hospital?"_

_"Mercy, but I don't know if they'll let you see him since you aren't family."_

_"That's crap! He's basically my brother."_

_"Jack." Her voice was soft, broken._

_"I have to say goodbye. They have to let me say goodbye." He lost it then, sobs wracking his body._

_Within the hour, Jack found himself on the elevator in the hospital. Rosemary was standing in the waiting room when he arrived, her face streaked with tears._

_"Rosie." He pulled her into a hug._

_"They're saying goodbye. Lee said he couldn't be in there anymore." She nodded toward her husband, who was sitting in a chair against the wall, his head in his hands._

_"How's he taking it?"_

_She shrugged. "He doesn't want to talk."_

_"I just can't believe it. I can't imagine a world without Pat in it."_

_Rosemary shook her head. "Me neither."_

_They moved across the room to sit with Lee._

_Jack lost track of time while they waited in silence for news. Eventually, Marie and Leland came into the waiting room, looking completely exhausted. Jack squeezed Rosemary's hand; they knew then that Patrick was gone._

_It was even longer before Elizabeth appeared. She saw Jack right away, crossing the room to get to him. He stood, taking a few steps toward her._

_"Jack." She walked into his arms and immediately broke down._

_"I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I'm so sorry." He kissed the top of her head, his tears soaking into her hair._

"That was a really bad day for all of us." He felt tears in his eyes. Micah just stared up at him as he finished his bottle, blue eyes wide. "Goodness, you look so much like him."

Jack set the bottle aside and lifted the baby to his shoulder, gently rubbing his back. Micah relaxed against him, sighing quietly.

"What do you say we get your diaper changed and then read a story?"

He headed up to the nursery, peeking his head into Elizabeth's room on the way to check on her. She was still sound asleep.

Once the baby was freshly diapered, Jack settled into the glider. He flipped through the book that he and Lee had put together for Micah, looking for a particular page.

"That's your daddy, Micah. The day he graduated from high school." He pointed at the picture of Patrick in his cap and gown, Marie and Leland standing on either side of him. "You know, he was really smart. He was in the top ten percent of his class. And he studied engineering in college." He flipped to the next page, where there was a photo of Patrick at his college graduation. Elizabeth stood beside him, a bouquet of tulips in her hands. "That's where he met your mama, where we all met your mama. Not at the graduation, I mean." He chuckled. "Goodness, I miss him. We had some really great times together in college."

When he glanced back down at the baby, he noticed he had fallen asleep.

Jack sighed, brushing his thumb across his cheek. "I love you, Micah Coulter. So much."

...

Elizabeth woke as Jack was cleaning up the tissues beside her.

"Jack? What are you doing here?"

"You weren't answering your phone. I was worried. Everyone's worried, actually."

"I turned my phone off. I'm not in the mood for pity today." She grabbed the blanket from the foot of the bed and pulled it up to her chin.

"People just care about you, Elizabeth. They want to know you're okay." He sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear.

She shrank away from his touch. "I'm fine. How long have you been here?"

"A little while. Micah was awake when I got here, and he seemed hungry, so I gave him a bottle and changed his diaper. He's sleeping again. Have you eaten today?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Elizabeth, you need to eat."

"You should go home, Jack. I'm not going to be good company today."

"Are you at least taking care of Micah?"

"Of course I am," she raised her voice. "You think I'd neglect my own son just because I'm having a crappy day? It's the anniversary of the worst day of my life, so naturally I must be forgetting about my baby." She turned away from him. "Go home, Jack."

"Beth…" He touched her shoulder.

She jerked away from him. "Just leave."

"Elizabeth, please."

"Go. Now."

He sighed, hating to see her so upset. He wished there was something he could do, but he knew there was nothing he could say to help. He walked away, turning back for a moment before he left her room. "I love you."

...

"Hey, Pat." Jack knelt down beside the stone. "I can't believe it's been a year since we lost you. So much has changed. Lorelei turned three, you have two nephews on the way, and your son… Gosh, I wish you could've met Micah. He's amazing. I think every time I see him, he looks even more like you. He's getting so big; he's smiling and laughing now, and it's only a matter of time before he's crawling and sitting up by himself. And Elizabeth," he shook his head, smiling sadly, "she's absolutely wonderful with him."

He shivered as a breeze blew through the cemetery.

"It's like she was made to be a mother. Everything she does, she does for that boy. Even when she has hard days, her priority is always Micah. The more I see her with him, the more I fall in love with her. I never meant to fall in love with her, Pat."

He rubbed his hands together, trying to warm them.

"I never expected her to fall in love with me, either. She was so in love with you—she still is. It's all so complicated. I'm trying to make her happy. I know that's what you would want—for her to be happy." He touched the stone, tracing the carved letters. "I miss you, Patrick. I wish you were here."

...

Jack hugged Lee as he came through the door. "Hey. How are you doing?"

Lee shrugged, following Jack into the living room and sinking down onto the sofa. "I'm okay, mostly. I definitely feel his absence still, but it's getting easier. It's just hard to think it's been a whole year without him. He's missed so much."

Jack nodded in agreement. "I still hate that he never met Micah."

"Have you talked to Elizabeth today?"

"I was just at her house a little while ago."

Rosemary walked into the room, carrying Lorelei. "You saw Elizabeth today? How is she? I tried calling her a bunch of times, but she never answered."

He sighed. "She's not doing great. I expected her to be sad, but she was so angry. She made me leave."

"Wow." She took a seat beside Lee. "Maybe you and I should drop by later and check on her."

"I don't know, Rosie. If she kicked Jack out, I'm sure she wouldn't appreciate us being there. It sounds like she wants to be alone today."

"Well, you can stay here, then. I'm going to bring her some dinner."

"Are you sure you're feeling up to it?"

Her eyes widened, and she gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head.

Jack glanced between them, confusion covering his face. "Okay, what's going on here?"

"You might as well just tell him, sweetheart."

"Fine. I guess you'll find out soon enough, anyway. But someone doesn't know yet so…" She covered Lorelei's ears. "I'm pregnant."

"Really? That's great, Rosie. Congratulations, you guys."

"We're happy about it, but," Lee gave a sad smile, "it's just one more thing Pat's going to miss. He loved being an uncle."

"What you say, mama?"

"Nothing, baby."

"Daddy, you sad?" She reached over and touched Lee's face.

"Yeah, honey bun. I am sad. I miss your Uncle Pat."

"Mama, you sad?"

"Yes." Rosemary kissed the top of her head. "It's okay to be sad sometimes."

"Have you talked to your parents today?" Jack asked.

Lee shook his head. "Not yet. I'm going to call them later. And I think we're going up there next weekend. Let them spend time with Lorelei, tell them about the B-A-B-Y."

"What's that, daddy?"

"We'll tell you later, sweetheart."

"You know," Jack stood up, "I should get going now. I just wanted to see how you guys were doing."

"You don't have to go."

"No, I need to get home and let the dog out, anyway."

"Well, thank you for stopping by." Lee got up to walk him to the door.

"Bye, Rosie. Bye, Lorelei."

She smiled and waved at him. "Bye, Uncle Jack!"

...

At the sound of the doorbell, Elizabeth groaned. She pulled the blanket over her head, hoping the visitor would go away.

"Elizabeth?" Rosemary called out. "Please open the door!"

She groaned again, keeping the blanket wrapped around herself as she made her way to the door. "Rosie, I really don't want visitors today."

"I'm not a visitor." She squeezed by Elizabeth into the house. "I brought chicken and dumplings."

"I'm really not hungry."

"Nonsense." She walked into the kitchen. "You don't need to make yourself sick by not eating."

"Eating isn't going to bring Patrick back," she mumbled, following Rosemary.

"Elizabeth." Rosemary set down the dish and put her hand on Elizabeth's shoulder. "I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine how today feels for you."

She sank down into a chair. "I'm starting to forget him. Little things, inconsequential things, but I can't remember them anymore."

"Elizabeth…"

"I can't remember." She broke down, burying her face in her hands as she cried.

"Hey." Rosemary crouched down in front of her, resting a hand on her back. "Let it out."

It took nearly half an hour for Elizabeth to stop crying. Rosemary just sat with her the whole time, saying nothing. Once she had calmed down, Elizabeth talked through her thoughts and concerns, glad to finally get things off her chest.

A little while later, Rosemary gave Micah a bottle while Elizabeth ate.

"Are you sure you don't want any? You did a great job with it; it's delicious."

"Of course it's delicious, but garlic and onions aren't getting along with me very well at the moment."

Elizabeth set down her spoon. "Rosie…"

"Elizabeth…" A smile played on her lips.

"Are you pregnant?"

"Yes. Eleven weeks tomorrow."

"Congratulations, Rosie. That's great." She smiled sadly, tapping her spoon on her bowl. "I'm really happy for you."

"Hey. What's on your mind?" She set down Micah's now-empty bottle and lifted him to her shoulder.

"Nothing. I'm fine." She sighed. "I was just reminded recently that I'll never have another baby with Pat."

"Oh, Elizabeth, I wasn't thinking. I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, it's okay." She shook her head. "I asked. And I would've found out soon, anyway. Please, don't feel guilty for telling me, or for being happy about it, or anything. I don't want you—or anyone—to feel like you have to watch what you say around me."

"Okay."

"I really am very happy for you guys. Now Micah's going to get _three _new cousins this year."

"Did you hear that, Micah?" Rosemary bounced him on her knee. "_Three _new cousins. That'll be fun, huh?"

"Rosie? Thank you for coming over tonight. I needed this."

"Of course. You know I'm always here for you."

...

Elizabeth sat in silence for a while, staring at the gravestone.

"Hi, Pat. I miss you. I keep thinking I'm ready to move forward, and then something reminds me of you, and I'm pulled backward again." She let out a harsh breath. "I hate living this way. It's not fair to me, or to Micah, and it's especially not fair to Jack. He's been nothing but patient with me, but surely he'll reach a point where he's not willing to wait any longer."

She sighed, tugging Micah's hat back onto his head. He looked up at her and touched her chin, babbling some nonsense syllables.

"I don't want to forget you, but I need to stop living in the past. As hard as it is for me to accept, I know you aren't coming back. And I know you wouldn't want me to wallow forever. You would want me to keep living, to be happy." She shook her head. "I'm trying. I'm really trying."

Micah kept babbling, reaching toward the stone.

"Micah gives me a reason to keep going. He's wonderful, Pat, and as much as I don't like that I'm having to raise him without you, I'm so incredibly grateful to have a little bit of you in him. And Jack…" her lips curled up into a smile, "he's reminding me how it feels to be truly happy. I really never thought I would feel that again when I lost you. I never thought I could love someone again."

...

Jack smiled shyly when Elizabeth opened the door. "Hey, I know we haven't really talked in a few days, but I thought—"

"Jack." She cut him off. "I'm so sorry about how I treated you the other day. I feel horrible about it."

"There's no need to apologize. I get it. It was a hard day for you."

"No." She shook her head. "There's no excuse. No matter how I'm feeling, I have no right to talk to you like that."

"Well, in that case, I accept your apology."

"Thank you." She leaned into his chest and wound her arms around him. "I can't believe he's been gone for a year."

"Me neither." He kissed the top of her head, leading her inside and over to the sofa. "I miss him."

"So do I." She sighed. "I love you, Jack. I hope you know that."

"I do."

"Good. Sometimes I worry that, when I say I wish Pat was here, you'll think that means I don't want you here."

"I don't think that at all. Of course you wish he was here. He was your husband, he's Micah's dad."

"I went to see him." She draped her legs across his. "The day after the anniversary. I took Micah with me. I was just talking to him and praying, and it's like everything suddenly clicked."

"What do you mean?"

"It's hard to explain. I guess I just felt…a peace. I still miss him—I'll always miss him, I'll always feel a hole in my life—but instead of feeling sad because he's gone, it's like my focus has turned to how lucky I was to have him in my life, even for a short time. I feel like I can finally move forward with my life—with you—without any guilt. That's not to say there won't be hard days in the future, because I'm sure there will be, but I'm tired of living in the past. It's not healthy. I'm in this, Jack. You and me."

"You're sure? Because you know I don't want to push you to move faster than you want."

"I'm positive, Jack. I love you, and I want a future with you."

He leaned over to kiss her. "I love you."

...

Rosemary and Lee stood on one side of Elizabeth, Jack on the other. Jack kept his hand on her back as they watched the pastor sprinkle water over Micah's head.

Elizabeth's parents had flown in for the weekend and were seated in the front pew. Marie, Leland, Lorelei, and Charlotte sat beside them.

The pastor invited all the family to come forward, and they surrounded little Micah.

Elizabeth felt tears in her eyes as they laid hands on her son and prayed for him. Even though he would grow up without his father, he would never be wanting for love.

After church, the family all had lunch together before Marie, Leland, and Charlotte had to go back to Tulsa. Rosemary, Lee, and Lorelei returned home as well, leaving Elizabeth with Jack and her parents.

They all sat in the living room, watching Netflix. Grace held a sleeping Micah, and Elizabeth was snuggled up next to Jack.

"Why are you pausing it?" Jack brushed his hand up her arm.

"Normally, there's a commercial break here, so we all take that time to try to guess what the answer is just based on the category."

"Before they reveal the clue?"

"Yes. So, do you have a guess?" She looked at him expectantly.

"Hm… 'American Authors.' Harper Lee, I guess."

"Dad?"

"William Faulkner."

"That was going to be my guess! I'll go with Fitzgerald, then."

"I'm going to say John Steinbeck."

"Now we see if any of us were right?"

"Mhmm." She hit play, leaning back against Jack again. "Ha! I was right!" she shouted when the answer was revealed.

"You win this time," William conceded.

"I've never seen this side of you before. I've got to say, it's a little scary," Jack joked, nudging Elizabeth with his shoulder.

"Oh, this is nothing. You should see how intense it gets when my sisters are around, too."

"Just take her word for it, Jack. You don't want to see that." Grace chuckled.

"I just can't believe you never told me you're a _Jeopardy _nerd."

She shrugged, giving him a mischievous smile. "I can't let you know _everything _about me." She kissed him. "Okay, next episode. You need to practice if you want any chance at beating me."

He laughed and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Beth."

...

A/N If anyone is curious, the episode of Jeopardy they're watching is the first semifinal game of the 2015 Tournament of Champions


	20. Chapter 20

**7 months later, August**

"Beth?" Jack brushed the hair back from her face.

"Jack?" She blinked sleepily. "You're still here?"

"Yeah, sorry. It seems we fell asleep during the movie." He kissed her forehead. "I wanted to let you sleep because you looked comfortable, but I'm kind of stuck right now and I have to get going." He was trapped between the back of the sofa and Elizabeth. One of his arms was pinned beneath her waist, and their legs were tangled together.

"Stay." She tugged on his arm, not making any move to let him off the sofa. "It's late. It's…" she turned her head and squinted at the clock across the room, "1:30 a.m., goodness. Please, just stay."

"I would, but Rosie's in labor, and I promised to watch Lorelei for them."

"The baby's coming?" She sat up, suddenly feeling more awake.

"Yes, and I need to get to their house so they can head to the hospital." He stretched and stood up. "Would you mind if I leave Luna here? I'll pick her up in the morning." He nodded toward the dog, who was curled up on the floor beside the sofa, fast asleep.

"That's fine. Keep me updated?"

"Yeah." He squeezed her hand. "See you later."

"Wait." She pulled him closer and kissed him. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

...

Just a few hours later, Jack blinked in the early morning light, reaching for his phone that was buzzing on the nightstand. He squinted at the screen, trying to make out the picture and name before he answered. "Elizabeth?"

"Morning, professor. Did I wake you?"

"A little bit, but it's fine. I needed to get up anyway." He yawned and rubbed his hand across his face. "Are you calling for any specific reason?"

"I was just wondering if you were planning to go visit Rosie and the baby today. I was thinking of stopping by before work, if you want to meet me there."

"Wait, the baby's already here?"

"As of just over an hour ago, yes. Did you not see the text from Lee?"

He yawned again. "Since I didn't wake up until you called me, no, I didn't."

"Well, anyway, do you want to meet at the hospital?"

"Don't you have work in like an hour?"

"I'm going in late today. My first two clients cancelled."

"Okay then. See you in forty-five minutes? I'll bring coffee and muffins."

"Perfect."

Almost exactly forty-five minutes later, Elizabeth walked into the waiting room, finding Jack sitting beside Lorelei. He was sipping his coffee while Lorelei flipped through the pages of a picture book.

"Good morning."

Jack looked up and smiled. "Morning." He handed her a cup of coffee. "Muffins are in the bag. I didn't know what kind you'd want, so I got a few different flavors."

"Thanks." She took a seat on the other side of Lorelei.

"Where's Micah?"

"I already took him to daycare so I can head straight to work from here." She took a bite of her muffin. "Mm, this was a good call."

Lorelei looked up at her. "Auntie Lizbeth! I have a brother!"

"I know! That's so exciting! Have you met him yet?"

She shook her head. "Uncle Jack showed me a picture."

"Lee said Rosie's feeding the baby right now, but he'll come out and get us when they're ready for visitors."

"Okay. Sounds good."

They didn't have to wait long. It was only about ten minutes later when Lee walked into the waiting room.

"Daddy!" Lorelei jumped up when she saw him.

"Hi, sweets." He picked her up. "Hey, Jack, Elizabeth. They're ready for visitors now if you want to come on back."

"Great." Jack stood and took Elizabeth's hand.

She squeezed his fingers. "Let's go meet our nephew."

Lee led them down the hall to Rosemary's room, carrying Lorelei.

"Hi," Rosemary whispered as they entered.

"Hi. How are you?"

She shifted in the bed. "Good. Tired. Happy to have him out of me."

"Mama!"

"Hi, baby. Do you want to meet your brother?"

She nodded emphatically. Lee carried her over to the bed, carefully setting her next to Rosemary.

"Lorelei, this is your little brother, Leo."

"Leo?" Jack questioned. "I thought he was another Leland."

"He is. Leland Oliver Coulter the fourth. Lee O."

"Ah. That's cute."

"You have to get creative with nicknames when the obvious one is already taken." Lee chuckled. "It was either Leo or Four."

"And I'm not about to give my child a number for a name." Rosemary rolled her eyes playfully.

"He's little, mama."

"He is," she agreed. "Did you know you were even smaller than he is when you were first born?"

Lorelei shook her head, tentatively reaching out to touch her brother's hand.

"He's beautiful, Rosie." Elizabeth had moved to stand beside the bed and was watching her nephew with a smile on her face.

"Isn't he?"

Once Lorelei had her fill of time with the baby, Elizabeth got a chance to hold him. He looked up at her and yawned.

"Hello, Leo." She gently touched his cheek. "I'm your Aunt Elizabeth. It's nice to meet you finally. You're a very lucky little guy, Leo. You were born into a wonderful family."

Jack moved near her. "He looks like Micah."

"Those Coulter genes are strong." Elizabeth chuckled. "Your turn?"

"Yes, please." He carefully lifted the baby from Elizabeth's arms. "Hello, little man. I'm Uncle Jack."

...

A few weeks later, Jack knocked on Rosemary and Lee's front door.

"Hey, Jack." Rosemary hugged him. "Come on in."

"Uncle Jack!" Lorelei ran up to him, throwing her arms around his leg.

He picked her up and kissed her cheek. "Hi, honey."

"So, Jack, what is it that you wanted my help with?"

"Um, I'd rather talk about it where little ears won't overhear." He glanced briefly at his goddaughter.

"Lorelei, baby, why don't you go find that picture you made at school today so you can show Uncle Jack?"

"Yeah!" She squirmed until Jack put her down, then she took off to her room.

"Okay, we should have a couple minutes." She invited him to take a seat on the sofa.

"I need help picking a ring."

"You're proposing to Elizabeth?!" she squealed.

"Shh." He chuckled. "Not just yet, but soon. I want to go ahead and get the ring so I can be ready. I figure I can talk to her parents when they're in town for Micah's birthday to let them know it's coming."

"Do you have any ideas of what you're looking for? I'd say for Elizabeth, you want to go for something simple and classic."

"That's exactly what I was thinking." He pulled out his phone, opening up his pictures. "I found a couple options that I think she'd like—and a couple that are a little different—but I wanted to get your opinion."

She took the phone from him, scrolling back and forth through the photos.

"Uncle Jack!" Lorelei came barreling back into the room, a slightly crumpled piece of paper in her hands. "Look!"

"Come show me." Jack lifted her into his lap while Rosemary continued perusing through the ring choices.

Lorelei pointed at various parts of the picture as she explained them. "That's mama and daddy, and that's me and Leo, and Auntie Lizbeth and you and Micah."

"Who's that?" He pointed at a figure toward the top of the page.

"Uncle Pat. He's in heaven."

"You're right, honey. This is a good picture. I like it. Do you think you can draw a picture for me sometime?"

She grinned and nodded. "A pretty picture."

"I can't wait to see it."

"Well," Rosemary passed Jack's phone back to him, "those are all wonderful choices, but I'd say the opal."

"Really? Not a diamond? I included that one just for fun because it was different."

"It's perfect for her. Simple, elegant, unique." She leaned back. "So, do you know how you're going to ask?"

"Ask what, mama?"

"Just a question."

"I've got a bit of a plan, but I'm still working on it." He gave a mischievous smile. "Now, before I go, can I see my godson?"

"He's in the nursery napping. You can go see him, but please don't wake him."

"I won't." He padded down the hall, quietly pushing the door open. He smiled when he looked down at the baby sleeping peacefully in his crib. "Hi, Leo," he whispered. "You're getting so big."

"He shouldn't look much bigger," Rosie spoke softly from the doorway. "He's only two weeks old."

"Well, he does." Jack lightly touched the baby's cheek. "Sleep well, Leo." He turned and walked with Rosemary back to the living room. "I should get going now. Thank you for the help."

"Of course." She pulled him into a hug. "I'm really happy for you, Jack."

...

"Go choose a book, Micah." Elizabeth nudged him toward his bookshelf before sinking down into the glider.

He quickly found what he wanted and toddled over to her. "Dada." Micah gripped the book in his little hands.

Elizabeth smiled and lifted him into her lap, unsurprised at his choice. She and Jack both read to him from the homemade book nearly every day. "You're right, little bug. That's your daddy." She flipped open the cover. "Here's a fitting picture. That's your daddy on his first birthday. He was just one day older than you are right now. You'll get a cake like that tomorrow."

Micah reached out and grabbed the edge of the page. Elizabeth turned a few pages for him.

"Are you looking for the dog? There it is." She pointed at the photo of a young Patrick and Lee with their dog, Cheyenne. "It says, 'Lee and Patrick wanted a dog for a long time. Cheyenne was their very first dog.' Micah, can you tell me what a dog says?"

"Woof!"

Elizabeth chuckled. "That's right. That's what a dog says. You like dogs, don't you?" She poked his belly, and he giggled.

"Woof woof!"

"Should I ask Uncle Jack to bring Luna to your birthday party? That could be fun."

He touched the picture again, then yawned.

She closed the book and set it beside her. "Okay, enough dogs for tonight. It's bedtime, little bug. Want to rock?"

He tugged on her shirt, so she settled him in to nurse, rocking slowly in the glider. She brushed the hair back from his forehead as he ate.

"I can't believe you're almost a year old, Micah Patrick. You're growing way too fast. You'll always be my baby, though, right?"

His fingers flexed against her chest, his eyelids drooping as he neared sleep. She sang quietly until he was asleep and snoring softly.

She carried him across the hall to her room. She dropped a kiss on his forehead before lowering him into his crib. "Sleep well, sweet boy. I love you."

Once she was sure he would stay asleep, she made her way down to the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea. She snuggled up with her mug on the sofa, scrolling through photos on her phone. She smiled when her phone buzzed.

"Hey, Jules."

"Hey, big sister. What are you up to?"

"Oh, you know, just looking at pictures of Micah from when he was a newborn because I'm in denial that tomorrow is his first birthday." She chuckled. "You?"

"Just nursing Liam before I put him to bed."

"How's he doing?"

She sighed. "He's okay. He's still having some blue spells when he cries for more than a few minutes, which is scary. We met with the cardiologist today to get his surgery scheduled. It's the 26th of this month at 7a.m."

"Oh, Julie." Elizabeth shook her head. "I can't imagine how you must be feeling about all of this."

"I can't let myself think about it or I go into a panic. I don't know what I'm going to do when he's actually in surgery."

"I'll be praying for him. For you and Andrew, too."

"Thank you." There was a shuffling on her end of the line as she lifted Liam to her shoulder. "Now, how about we talk about something else before I get too anxious? What do you have planned for Micah's birthday?"

Elizabeth tucked her legs beneath herself and smiled. "Well, I'm going to make him some blueberry pancakes in the morning."

"Of course. The traditional Thatcher birthday breakfast."

"And then he's going to spend the day with mom and dad while I'm at work, and we'll have his party in the afternoon when I get home."

"That'll be fun. I feel bad that we can't make it."

"Don't feel bad. You and Andrew just need to focus on Liam right now. No need to worry about missing a birthday party. Besides, Vi and Sterling can't make it, either, so you won't be the only Thatcher sister missing."

"Oh, I thought they were going to be there."

"They were going to try to make it, but Nicholas came down with a case of chicken pox."

Julie laughed softly. "It's crazy."

"What is?"

"A year ago, none of us had kids, and now the three Thatcher girls all have sons."

"_Technically _I had a kid a year ago. He was just inside me still. And he was only about…" she glanced over at the clock, "…twenty-two hours away from being born."

"Yeah, whatever." Elizabeth could practically hear her sister roll her eyes. "You know what I mean. Hey," Julie's voice got soft, "Liam's asleep, so I need to go put him down. Tell Micah I said happy birthday."

"I will. Love you, Jules."

"Love you, Liz."

...

Elizabeth peeked into the crib at her son. He sighed in his sleep, his little eyelids fluttering. She touched his cheek. "My sweet baby boy."

He stretched, then turned onto his side, sticking his thumb in his mouth.

"I'll be back," she whispered.

She grabbed the baby monitor and headed toward the kitchen, stopping when there was a knock at the door. She smiled when she saw who was there. "Hi, hon. Did I know you were coming by this morning?"

"Nope." Jack kissed her cheek and stepped into the house. "I wanted to surprise the birthday boy. So, where is my favorite little man?"

"Shockingly, he's still sleeping. I was just getting ready to start breakfast, if you'd like to help."

"Just tell me what to do." He followed her into the kitchen.

"Can you get the milk, butter, and eggs from the fridge, please?"

"Milk, butter, eggs. On it." He washed his hands before opening the fridge. "So, what are we making?"

"Blueberry pancakes. This is what my parents made for me and my sisters for breakfast on our birthdays every year when we were growing up."

"And now you're continuing the tradition with Micah. That's great."

They were mostly quiet as they worked side-by-side, the silence only broken by the occasional instruction given by Elizabeth.

The first batch of pancakes was sizzling on the griddle when Micah's little voice sounded over the baby monitor.

"Mama! Mama!"

"Are you good here?"

"Mhmm. You go get him. I promise I won't burn down your kitchen."

"I'll be right back." She squeezed his arm gently and headed up the stairs, following the sound of Micah's babbling. He looked up when she entered the room. "Well, good morning, my big boy."

Micah gave her a toothy grin, pulling himself up on the side of the crib.

"Happy birthday, Micah Patrick." She lifted him up, kissing his cheek.

He brought his little hands to her face, patting gently. "Mama mama."

"I love you, little bug." She rubbed her nose against his cheek. "Are you hungry? Let's go get you your birthday breakfast."

He leaned against her shoulder as she carried him down the stairs.

Jack turned when they came into the kitchen. "There's the birthday boy!"

"Dack!" His face lit up and he held out his arms, stretching toward Jack.

"Little man!" Jack took him from Elizabeth. "Happy birthday, buddy."

"Oh, by the way, Micah has requested that you bring Luna to his birthday party."

"Is that what you want, Micah? Okay, I'll bring Luna over here for you. Only because you're my favorite little man." Jack kissed the top of his head.

...

Jack made his way across the room, weaving through the friends and family members who had come to celebrate Micah.

Elizabeth watched him warily as he approached her. "That seemed like a pretty serious conversation you were having with my parents."

He slipped his arm around her waist. "It was nothing."

"You shook my dad's hand."

He just shrugged, a smile playing on his lips.

"Jack Thornton, what are you hiding?"

"I'm not hiding anything." He glanced toward the kitchen. "Is it time for cake yet?"

She eyed him suspiciously. "I guess. I still think you're hiding something."

"Don't you worry your pretty little head about it." He kissed her temple. "Where are your matches? I'll light the candle on his cake."

"In the drawer by the microwave. I'll let everyone know it's cake time."

Just a few minutes later, Micah was elbow-deep in cake, crumbs and frosting spread across him and the high chair.

"Looks like someone's going to need a bath tonight." Jack chuckled as he wiped frosting from his hands.

"You or Micah?"

He rolled his eyes. "Ha ha. You can just take your sass somewhere else."

"You love it."

"I love _you_." He kissed her cheek.

She pulled him back to her, kissing him gently. "Love you more."

...

Jack sat in the glider with Micah in his lap, quietly reading him _Goodnight Moon_. Elizabeth smiled as she listened to his soft, even voice, all the while folding the new clothes that Micah had been gifted.

Micah babbled, pointing at the pictures in the book.

"Yeah, buddy. Do you see the kitten? And the bunny?"

He leaned back against Jack's chest and sighed sleepily.

"You ready for bed, little bug?" Elizabeth reached for him. He clung to her shoulder. "I'm going to go nurse him and put him down. You can stay if you want."

He stood up and stretched. "I'd love to, but I should probably get going. I've got some assignments to grade, and I have an early class in the morning."

"Okay. See you tomorrow?"

He nodded and leaned in to kiss her. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She shifted Micah higher on her hip. "Micah, can you say bye to Uncle Jack?"

He lifted his little hand and waved.

Jack smiled and kissed his cheek. "Night, little man. I love you." He kissed Elizabeth one more time. "Good night." He called Luna over and led her downstairs.

Once she heard the front door close, Elizabeth crossed the hall and sank down on her bed, settling Micah in to nurse.

"Well, little bug, I'd say you had a successful birthday. What do you think?"

His little fingers grasped a lock of her hair, his blue eyes focusing on her face.

"I just can't believe it's been an entire year since you were born." She touched his cheek. "You're one of the best things in my life, Micah Patrick. I love you more than you'll ever know."


	21. Chapter 21

A/N Thank you all for all the sweet comments. I hope you enjoy this chapter :)

...

"Mama mama."

Elizabeth turned around in her seat. "I'm right here, little bug. What do you need?"

He started to whine, kicking his feet.

"Are you thirsty, Micah?" She dug through the bag at her feet and retrieved his sippy cup, reaching behind her to hand it to him.

"Tankoo."

"You're welcome, bud."

"So polite for a one year old." Jack chuckled. "You didn't even have to prompt him."

She smiled. "There's nothing that says you can't teach a one year old proper manners."

"He's such a smart little guy."

"That he is." She turned around again, watching him sip from the cup. "Gosh, I still can't believe how quickly he's grown. It feels like just yesterday, he was a tiny little thing needing me to do everything for him, and now here he is, walking, talking, so independent."

"It is crazy how fast the time has gone." He glanced in the rearview mirror. "Micah, are you excited to see your nana and papa today?"

"Nana papa?"

"Yeah, bud. We're going to their house."

"Jack?" Elizabeth reached across the center console to take his hand. "What does Opal call your mom? Grandma? Nana?"

"Nana. Why do you ask?"

"Do you think your mom would be okay with being Nana Charlotte to Micah?"

His lips turned up into a smile, and he quickly looked over at her out of the corner of his eye. "I think she'd love that."

They fell into a contented silence as they continued down the highway, Christmas music playing softly on the radio. Halfway to Tulsa, Jack spoke up again.

"Who are you texting so intently over there?"

"Julie." She set down her phone. "They had a follow-up appointment with Liam's cardiologist yesterday since it's been two months since his surgery."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. She said the doctor said he's healing well."

"Oh, good."

"I know they were a little worried that he had lost some weight when they first brought him home from the hospital because he wasn't eating well, but she said he's gained most of it back."

"I can't even imagine how scary this all must've been for her and Andrew."

"Me neither." Elizabeth shook her head. "I was so worried when Micah had his first ear infection, so I have no idea what I would do if anything more serious happened."

"Well, if—God forbid—anything serious happens to him, you know you have me." He reached over and squeezed her hand gently.

"I know I do." She smiled. "I'm so thankful for you, Jack Thornton."

...

As they turned into the neighborhood, Elizabeth started bouncing her knee.

"You okay?" Jack glanced over at her.

"Yeah. Just a little nervous."

"Nervous about what?"

She shrugged. "I know things are better with Leland now, but I can't help but think about how Thanksgiving went last year."

"It'll be fine, Beth." He reached across the center console and took her hand. "And if he says anything, you know my mom will put him in his place."

She chuckled. "Very true. God bless your mom."

Jack pulled into the driveway and put the car in park. "Ready?"

She nodded. "Ready." She got out of the car and reached into the back seat. "Okay, sweet boy. Let's go see nana and papa." She wrinkled her nose when she pulled Micah from the carseat. "Maybe we'll change your diaper before we start passing you around."

"Stinky one?" Jack grabbed the diaper bag and a bag containing the pie Elizabeth had baked that morning.

"Little bit."

Marie grinned when she answered the door. "You made it. Come on in."

"Thank you for having us."

"If you'll excuse me just a minute, Micah is in need of a diaper change before we go see anyone else."

"Of course."

Jack passed her the diaper bag, and she took Micah to the den.

"Let's get you cleaned up, little bug." She laid him on the changing mat and pulled a clean diaper and wipes from the bag. "Are you excited for your first real Thanksgiving, Micah? Last year, you weren't even three months old. Now, you're big enough to eat everything: turkey and green beans and sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie. That sounds yummy, huh?" She fastened the new diaper on him and tickled his belly, eliciting a little giggle. "Ready to go say hi to nana and papa?"

"Dack!"

Elizabeth smiled and lifted him to her shoulder. "Yeah, Uncle Jack is out there, too. And Nana Charlotte."

...

Elizabeth sat across from Jack as they ate, Micah strapped into a booster seat at the end of the table between them. They took turns handing him small bites of food, which he gobbled up eagerly.

Leland, sitting at the end of the table opposite Micah, steered clear of questions about Jack's and Elizabeth's relationship, instead asking them about work and church and friends. Even Micah joined in the exchange, babbling away in response to the questions his grandparents asked.

Eventually, the conversation lulled as they finished their meals, all feeling stuffed.

They moved into the living room to relax and watch TV before having dessert. Micah curled up in Elizabeth's lap and fell asleep almost immediately. Jack sank down on the sofa beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

They were quiet as they listened to Marie and Leland and Charlotte comment on the football game airing on TV. Soon enough, Elizabeth had dozed off as well, her head drooping against Jack's chest.

Jack sighed contentedly, thinking that he would be happy to stay right there for the rest of his life.

...

Later that evening, Jack found himself in the living room of his childhood home, watching Micah toddle around. He had offered to keep an eye on him so Elizabeth could have a break to take a bath and relax.

The little boy was rolling a wooden train back and forth across the coffee table while Jack made sound effects for him. Micah laughed loudly.

"Is that funny, little man? Do you like playing with me? I like playing with you." He ruffled his hair.

"Mama?"

"Your mama's still here. She'll be back soon. Hey, can I tell you a secret, Micah?" Jack picked him up and sat him on his lap. "I'm going to ask your mama to marry me soon. Is that okay with you?"

"Dack." He leaned his head against Jack's shoulder and yawned.

"We'll all be a family, little man." He sat like that for a few moments, rubbing Micah's back as he started to doze, the train still clutched in his hands.

Charlotte wandered in and took a seat on the sofa.

"What's on your mind, ma?"

"Who says I have something on my mind?"

"You have that look on your face like you have something to say."

"You know me well." She laughed quietly. "I just noticed that Elizabeth's hand is still empty."

Jack sighed. "I haven't asked her yet."

"Are you afraid she'll say no?"

He shook his head. "No, it's not that. I'm positive she'll say yes. I just haven't found the right time."

"A word of advice? Just ask her. Don't stress about finding the perfect moment. It's going to be special no matter what."

"How did dad propose to you?"

She settled back into the sofa, a smile playing on her lips. "He asked me in the car on the way home from a ball game. We were talking about how the game went, and he suddenly just blurted out 'marry me.' He didn't have a ring with him or anything."

Jack chuckled. "That sounds like dad."

"He'd be proud of you, son. Of the man you've become. _I'm _proud of you." She reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Thanks, ma."

"You're helping Elizabeth raise that boy like he's your own. He's lucky to have you."

"I love him." He tightened his arms around Micah, who was still awake but nearing sleep. "I've loved him since before he was born. As far as I'm concerned, he's just as much mine as he would be if he shared my DNA."

"Now you just need to propose to Elizabeth so you can officially be a family."

"Soon." He smiled. "Very soon."

...

Elizabeth stood at the entrance to the hallway, dressed in her pajamas with her hair damp. "Hey, I can take Micah now."

"Okay." Jack slowly stood and followed her down the hall, passing Micah to her when they reached the door of the guest room.

Her voice was soft. "Thanks for watching him so I could have some time for myself."

"Anytime, love." He leaned in and kissed her softly. "See you in the morning."

She grabbed his wrist before he could walk away. "Stay."

"I'll just be across the hall."

"Please." She pretended to pout.

"Can I put on my pajamas first?"

"Yes." She grinned. "Thank you."

Fifteen minutes later, they were lying side by side in the bed, Micah fast asleep in the portable crib beside them.

"Today was a good day."

"A very good day," she agreed. "Much better than Thanksgiving last year."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. "Hey, I have a present for you."

"Christmas is still a month away."

"I know." He kissed her hair. "I got us tickets to see _The Nutcracker_ next weekend."

"I love _The Nutcracker_. Did you know I was in it when I was little?"

"I saw the pictures when we were at your parents' house last Christmas. You were the cutest little clown I've ever seen."

She hit his chest playfully.

"Hey, it was a compliment."

"Yeah yeah."

He rubbed her back gently. "I love you, Beth."

"I love you, Jack."

...

Elizabeth opened the door to find Jack standing there with a bouquet of red tulips in his hand.

"Well, look at you, professor." She ran her fingers along the collar of his shirt. "You look very handsome this evening."

He gave her a crooked smile. "Thank you." He leaned in and kissed her softly. "You look beautiful," he mumbled against her lips.

"Mm," she pulled back, her forehead still resting against his, "maybe we should just stay here tonight."

"That sounds wonderful, but these _Nutcracker_ tickets are burning a hole in my pocket, and as I recall, you 'love' _The Nutcracker_."

She sighed. "Fine. I guess it has been a while since we had a date night out."

"It has. Oh," he held out the flowers, "these are for you."

"Thank you. They're beautiful. I'll go put them in water and grab Micah, then we can head out."

"I'll get him. He's in his room?"

"My room," she called out from the kitchen.

A few minutes later, they were back at the front door, Jack holding Micah while Elizabeth slipped her coat on.

"Ready to go?"

"Mhmm." She grabbed her purse and Micah's bag and followed Jack out to the car.

"It's been ages since I've seen _The Nutcracker_. I'm excited."

They dropped Micah off at Rosemary and Lee's before making their way to campus. Jack took her arm as they walked down the sidewalk.

"What if we run into one of your students while we're here? Will they be all weird seeing you with me?"

"Well, if it's a student who's been to my office, they shouldn't be surprised."

"Why?"

"I _might _have a picture of you on my desk." His lips turned up into a smile.

She nudged him with her elbow, laughing softly. "I _might _have a picture of you on my desk, too."

...

The sky was dark, the air cold when they stepped out of the auditorium.

"Thank you for tonight, Jack. I know watching ballet isn't really your idea of a fun night."

"It was fun because I'm with you." He kissed her temple. "And I did like it. Yes, I'd rather watch a football game, but it's not like I was bored out of my mind."

"Well good."

They were quiet for a few moments, until Elizabeth started leading him away from the sidewalk.

"Hey, the car is the other way."

"I just want to do something really quickly." She tugged on his hand, pulling him through the grass.

"Where are we going?"

"Hush, it's just right here."

"The Spoonholder?"

"Shh." She led him into the concrete circle, taking both of his hands in hers.

Tradition said that couples who kissed in the Spoonholder were destined for marriage. Patrick had taken her there a few weeks before he proposed to her, and Lee had done the same with Rosie.

"Elizabeth?"

"I just want…" She trailed off, putting a hand on his cheek and standing on her toes to press her lips to his. She watched his face carefully when she pulled away. He said nothing, but a hint of a smile tugged at his lips. "I know that you know about the whole kissing-in-the-Spoonholder-marriage thing, but please don't feel pressured. We just hadn't really talked about marriage in a while and we were here so I wanted—"

He leaned in and kissed her again, cutting her off. "I don't feel pressured. In fact…" He dropped to one knee, and she gasped. "Elizabeth, I love you more than I ever thought I could love someone, and I love Micah, and I want nothing more than for the three of us to be a family."

"Yes," she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.

He chuckled. "I didn't ask yet."

"Sorry." She laughed, wiping her eyes. "Go on."

"Elizabeth Reed Coulter, will you marry me?"

"Of course I will. Yes."

He stood and pulled the opal ring from his pocket—the one Rosemary had helped him pick out a few months before—and slipped it on her finger. He kissed her soundly. "I love you, Beth."

"I love you, professor." She grinned, kissing him again.

...

Rosemary smiled when she answered the door. "Hey, Micah. Look who's here!"

"Mama!" He toddled up, hands in the air.

"Hi, little bug." Elizabeth picked him up, and he immediately snuggled against her shoulder. "Did you have fun with Auntie Rosie and Uncle Lee and Lorelei and Leo?"

"So much fun, right?" Rosemary rubbed his back. "And how was your night?" She glanced between Elizabeth and Jack.

"It was great." Jack couldn't help the grin that covered his face. "More than great, actually."

Elizabeth shifted her left hand so the ring was visible.

"You finally asked her!" She hugged them both. "Congratulations, you guys. I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you."

"Now, as much as I would love to hear the whole story now, it'll have to wait. I have a baby who needs to be fed before he gets cranky, and Micah looks like he's ready for bed."

He was still leaning against Elizabeth's shoulder, his eyelids drooping.

"Of course. Thank you for watching him tonight."

"Anytime. We love having him here. Congratulations, again."

...

They stepped off the elevator, and Elizabeth looped her arm through Jack's.

"Jack, this place is really fancy."

"Well, we're celebrating."

"I know, but—"

"Elizabeth. This is a special occasion. Just enjoy it."

"Okay."

The waiter led them to a table beside a window, where they were able to look out over the city.

"This is a beautiful view."

"My view is even better."

She turned to find him staring at her, a smile tugging at his lips. Her face flushed at his gaze. "Jack…"

"It's been a week since we got engaged, and I still can't believe I get to marry you." He reached across the table and took her hand. "I love you so much."

"I love you."

...

Jack opened the door to the hotel room, letting Elizabeth enter before him.

"You got a room with two beds?"

He closed and locked the door behind him. "Well, I made the reservation before I proposed, so I couldn't very well ask your preference without giving it away. And I didn't want you to think that I'm expecting anything from you now that we're engaged, because I don't. I know you want to wait until we're married. Therefore, two beds."

"That's very thoughtful of you, Jack." She slipped her arms around him and leaned into his chest. "We can share a bed, though. Just as long as you promise to behave."

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "I promise. Now," he took a step back, "how about we get in our pajamas and see if there's a movie on TV or something?"

"That sounds like a great plan."

Elizabeth emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, now dressed in flannel pajama pants and Jack's old OU sweatshirt that he had given her a year before. Jack was already settled on one of the beds, flipping through the channels on the TV. He turned down the comforter, inviting her to join him.

"There are a couple movies on, but I figured I'd let you pick."

She snuggled up beside him. "What are the choices?"

"_Legally Blonde_, _12 Angry Men_, _Miss Congeniality_, _Indiana Jones_."

"Which one?"

"I think it's _Last Crusade_."

"Ooh, that one."

He chuckled. "Not what I expected you to choose."

"I guess there's more for you to learn about me." She raised her eyebrows.

"I guess." He leaned in to kiss her before changing the channel.

"Fair warning: I most definitely will be quoting the entire ending of this movie."

"So you've seen it once or twice before?" he teased, draping his arm across her shoulders and pulling her closer.

"Maybe a few more times than that."

...

Jack opened his eyes and rolled over. It was dark, but he could see that Elizabeth was awake, staring up at the ceiling.

"Hey." He put his arm across her waist. "Why are you up?"

"Just thinking." She met his eyes. "I don't want a long engagement."

"Me neither." He rested his chin on her shoulder, touching his nose to her cheek.

"What do you think about getting married the weekend before Spring Break? That's only three months away, and we'd have a week for our honeymoon."

"That sounds good to me." He sighed and closed his eyes, snuggling closer to her.

"Jack?"

"Hm?"

"I don't want us to live in my house. It's just, Patrick and I picked that house out together. I want us to have a place that's _ours_."

"Okay. You and Micah can move into my house, if you want, or we can look for a new place."

"Maybe a new place. I like your house, but we should probably look for something bigger. You'd lose the guest room to Micah."

"Okay." He kissed her temple. "Plus, it would be nice to have some extra space if any more babies happen to join our family…"

She smiled and turned to meet his eyes. "Someday. Maybe." She kissed him softly. "I can't wait to marry you."


	22. Chapter 22

"Hi, Pat. Happy birthday." Elizabeth placed the bouquet of flowers in front of the stone. "Goodness, I can't believe this is already the second time your birthday has come since you've been gone."

She reached out to touch the stone. Even through her gloves, she could feel the chill of the polished granite. She took a deep breath when she saw the outline of the ring on her fourth finger.

"I have some news, Patrick. Jack and I are engaged now. I know it's a little crazy to think about." She laughed quietly. "Never in a million years did either of us expect to fall in love with each other, but we did. I do. Love him, that is." She sighed. "He makes me happy, Pat, and I know that's what you'd want for me. And he loves Micah so much, but he makes sure he knows _you're _his dad. He tells him about you all the time."

She shivered and tucked her hands into her pockets.

"Well, I can't stay much longer. I just wanted to tell you the news. I miss you, Pat. You'll always have a piece of my heart, no matter what. I hope you know that." She kissed her fingers and lightly pressed them to the stone. "I love you."

...

"Jack?"

He glanced up from his book to see a familiar face. "Katie? Hi."

"How are you?" She took a seat beside him.

"I'm good. And you?"

"I'm doing well." She let out a breath. "Wow, it's been a while, hasn't it?"

Jack nodded in agreement. "A few years, yeah. So are you headed to Chicago, too?"

"No. My flight's out of the next gate." She nodded toward the gate. "I'm headed back to Houston. That's where I live now. I was just back here to visit my parents. May I ask what's in Chicago?"

A smile tugged at his lips. "My fiancée grew up there. We're visiting her family for the holidays."

"Oh, you're engaged. That's great, Jack. Anyone I know?"

"Elizabeth Coulter—or I guess if you knew her, it would've been when she was Elizabeth Thatcher. She was a year behind us at OU, so it's possible you two crossed paths."

"Elizabeth Thatcher…" Katie thought for a moment. "That name sounds familiar. Maybe I had a class with her or something." She shrugged.

"Maybe."

"Well, Jack, I should probably get to my gate; I'm supposed to board soon. It was great seeing you. I hope you and Elizabeth have a good time with her family."

"Thank you, Katie." He leaned in and gave her a quick hug. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you, too."

Just after she walked away, Elizabeth returned from the bathroom with Micah in her arms.

"Who was that?" She watched the woman make her way to the next gate.

Jack searched Elizabeth's eyes for any hint of jealousy, but found only curiosity. "My ex."

"The one you dated in undergrad?" She sat beside him. Micah climbed down from her lap and reached for Jack.

He picked him up, settling him on his knees. "Yeah. Katie. I guess she lives in Houston now. She said was just here visiting her parents."

"Patrick told me you wanted to marry her."

He nodded. "I did. I was going to ask her after graduation, but she wanted to leave and I didn't, so we split up."

"Do you regret it?"

Without hesitation, he shook his head. "No. I don't regret it at all. For a while after we split, I did wonder what my life would've been like if we had stayed together—if I made the wrong decision in choosing not to follow her—but eventually, I realized it was for the best."

"Dack." Micah pulled himself up to stand on Jack's legs and wrapped his arms around Jack's neck.

"Hi, bud." Jack hugged him back. "I love you."

"Love Dack."

"You're so sweet, little man." Jack kissed his cheek.

"Jack?" Elizabeth put her left hand on his knee, studying the ring on her fourth finger. "Just out of curiosity, did you ever come close to proposing to anyone else?"

"Nope. Katie was my first serious girlfriend, and you met all the girlfriends that came after her. All two of them." He smiled. "I think I just saw what Rosie and Lee had and what you and Pat had and I knew I didn't want to settle. Megan and Rachel were nice, and I liked spending time with them, but I didn't love them."

"I get that. I didn't date a lot before Pat, but when I met him, it felt totally different from anything I felt before."

"It was different for him, too. The first time he brought you over, I could tell he already knew you would be his wife."

"He knew that soon, huh?" A smile played on her lips. "I think I knew that soon, too. I fell in love with him pretty quickly." Elizabeth took his hand and sighed. "I never imagined I would love anyone else. And I especially never imagined I would fall in love with his best friend. But I think Pat would be happy that Micah and I have you."

...

William was waiting at baggage claim when Jack and Elizabeth arrived in Chicago.

"Hi, sweetheart." He pulled Elizabeth in for a hug.

"Hi, dad."

"Mr. Thatcher." Jack stuck out his hand.

William shook it. "Jack, you're going to be my son-in-law. Call me William."

"Okay, William." He chuckled.

Elizabeth took Micah from Jack so he could pull their bags off the luggage carousel. "Where's mom?"

"At home. Julie and Andrew had arrived with Liam just before I left, and we were expecting Viola and Sterling and Nicholas at any time."

"You've got a full house this Christmas."

William grinned. "We wouldn't have it any other way."

The house was noisy when they walked in half an hour later. Julie and Viola were sitting on the sofa with Grace, chattering away. Nicholas was running around in front of Liam, trying to get him to laugh.

"Elizabeth!" Julie jumped up and threw her arms around her big sister. "It's so good to see you. Mom and Viola and I have been talking about your wedding. We have so many ideas!"

"Julie, honey, let her get in the door first." Grace chuckled, getting up to hug her middle daughter. "It's good to see you, sweetheart. And you, my sweet grandson." She took Micah from her, then looked up at Jack. "Hi, Jack. We're glad you could make it."

"Thank you for having me." He kissed Elizabeth's cheek. "I'll take our bags up to our room."

"Thanks, honey."

"Now, come sit." Grace put a hand on Elizabeth's back, leading her into the living room. "We really do have lots of wedding ideas we'd like to discuss with you."

...

Jack wandered into the den, rubbing Micah's back as he leaned against his shoulder. He slowly made his way around the room, studying the pictures hanging on the wall. Many of them showed Elizabeth and her sisters as they grew. He paused in front of one and smiled.

"Your mama and daddy looked so happy there, huh?"

Micah followed Jack's finger to the picture of Elizabeth and Patrick on their wedding day. "Dada?"

"Yeah, bud. That's when your daddy married your mama."

"I guess we need to make some room for a new wedding picture beside that one."

Jack turned to see Grace standing in the doorway. "I guess so."

"Elizabeth is really lucky to have you."

Jack smiled. "I'm lucky to have her. And this little guy."

Micah giggled as Jack rubbed his nose against his cheek.

"I would say that you three _will_ make a wonderful family, but it seems you're already there."

"Just about." Jack snuggled Micah closer. "I can't wait until it's official, though. I'm tired of saying goodbye to the two of them. I'm ready for us to be under one roof."

"There you are." Elizabeth came into the room.

"Mama!" Micah reached for her.

"I'll just leave you three alone." Grace gave Jack a wink and left the room.

"What was that about?" Elizabeth took Micah from Jack. "Were you talking about me?"

"Yes. Mostly just how ready I am for you and me and Micah to be a family."

A smile played on her lips. "I'm ready for that, too."

...

"Julie, good call on the matching bow ties." Elizabeth stood by her sisters as they all snapped pictures on their phones of the three boys sitting in front of the Christmas tree in their red and green plaid bow ties.

"Aren't they darling? We have some cute sons, if I do say so myself."

"Okay," Grace held up her phone, "now you girls get in there for some mother-son pictures."

Jack grinned as he watched Elizabeth lift Micah into her arms. There was a part of him that still couldn't believe that she was going to be his wife, that they would be a family.

"Jack?"

He looked up, unaware that he had zoned out as he daydreamed about his future.

"Come on." Elizabeth was waving him over. "Our turn."

He moved to stand beside her, sliding his arm around her waist. Micah craned his neck to look at him. "Hi, bud. Can you look at the camera?" Jack pointed at William, who was holding Elizabeth's phone up. "Look at papa Thatcher."

Elizabeth looked over at Jack, a smile playing on her lips.

He noticed her out of the corner of his eye. "Hey, you look at the camera, too."

"But I like looking at you. You're very handsome."

"And you're very beautiful." He leaned down and stole a quick kiss. "I love you."

She kissed him back. "I love you."

"Okay, I think that's enough of that. There are children around," Viola joked, pretending to cover Nicholas's eyes.

Elizabeth blushed. "I think we've gotten enough pictures. Let's get back to the house."

An hour later, the adults were all scattered around the living room after putting the boys to bed.

Grace smiled. "The mantle sure looks full this year." There were eleven stockings crowding the mantle, three of which hadn't been there at Christmas the year before: one for Liam, one for Nicholas, and even one for Jack. "We might have to come up with a new place to hang them all if you girls decide to give us any more grandbabies."

"Don't pressure them, sweetheart." William squeezed her hand. "Let them get settled in with the babies they already have."

...

Elizabeth rolled over and bumped into Jack's chest. He inhaled deeply and wrapped his arms around her, touching his lips to the top of her head.

"Good morning, love."

"Morning, professor." She sank into his embrace. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." He trailed his fingers across her back. "How long do you think we have before we're expected downstairs?"

"Mm, I don't know. Breakfast won't be until late morning, but I imagine Nicholas will be up early and ready for presents."

"Well, he can wait a bit longer." Jack kissed her forehead. "I'm too comfortable to move."

"Me too." She pressed her cheek to his chest, letting the sound of his heartbeat lull her back to sleep.

Thirty minutes later, they were awakened by Micah sitting up in his crib, babbling away.

The morning was hectic, with three squealing boys throwing wrapping paper around and excitedly showing off their new toys. Even the promise of food wasn't enough to pull them away from their presents, and all three of them ended up sitting at the breakfast table with a toy in their hands.

Elizabeth noticed that Jack had been relatively quiet all morning. By the early afternoon, she was worried about him. His face had gone pale, and it was clear he wasn't well. When she finally asked him if he was okay, he just said he was feeling off and excused himself to go take a nap.

...

"Jack?" Elizabeth knocked softly on the door before pushing it open. "It's time for dinner."

He was curled up on the bed. At first, she thought he was sleeping, but then she noticed he was holding his side, his jaw clenched and brow furrowed in pain.

She hurried over to him. "Honey, are you okay?" She pushed the hair back from his forehead. "You're burning up, Jack."

"Hurts."

"What hurts? Your stomach?"

He nodded and groaned.

"Maybe we should get you to the hospital."

"I'm fine," he spoke through his teeth.

"Jack, you look like you're in a lot of pain. Come on." She held out her hand. "I'll take you to the hospital."

She sat beside his bed in the hospital room, waiting for the doctor to come back with the results from the tests they were running.

What felt like an eternity later, the doctor returned. "Mr. Thornton, we need to get you into surgery."

"Surgery? What?" Elizabeth took Jack's hand in both of hers, fear in her eyes.

"It looks like appendicitis. We need to get your appendix out as soon as possible. A nurse will be in shortly to prep you."

They were quiet after the doctor left, Jack watching Elizabeth's face and Elizabeth staring at their clasped hands.

"I'll be fine, Elizabeth."

She finally met his eyes, her own filled with unshed tears. "Don't you dare leave me, Jack Thornton."

"I won't." He squeezed her hand. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She kissed him quickly before she was led back to the waiting room and he was taken back to an operating room.

...

Elizabeth chewed on her fingernail while she paced back and forth in the waiting room. It had been forty-five minutes since Jack had been taken back to surgery, and she was driving herself crazy with worry.

"Liz?"

She turned to see her sisters walking across the waiting room. "What are you doing here? It's Christmas Day. You should be with your families."

"We figured you might not want to be alone right now."

"Thank you for coming." She hugged each of them in turn.

"How are you doing?" Viola led her over to a set of chairs, encouraging her to take a seat.

"I don't know." She sighed, covering her face with her hands. "I'm so worried. I know this is a routine surgery and the risk of complications is low, but I just keep flashing back to when Patrick…" she trailed off, her voice starting to break.

"Hey," Julie reached out and rubbed her back soothingly, "he'll be okay."

"You can't know that." Elizabeth wiped her eyes.

"Well, no. But you're not alone."

"I need you two to distract me. How was Micah doing?"

"Great." Viola laughed softly. "When we left, Nicholas was trying to help him build something with his new blocks, and Micah was not having any of that."

"Oh dear." She chuckled. "He's definitely at the age where he doesn't like to share."

"I think Sterling and Andrew are capable of dealing with any disagreements, though, so they'll be fine."

"Hey," Julie perked up, "have you thought any more about what sort of wedding dress you want?"

"Actually, I have." She took out her phone and pulled up the pictures. "I started looking at some options last night after Jack fell asleep. My choices are a little limited because the wedding is so soon, but I've at least got an idea of what I'm looking for."

"These are beautiful, Elizabeth." Viola and Julie scrolled through the pictures of A-line dresses with delicate lace cap sleeves.

"Are you going to wear a veil?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Well, either way, I think you should wear your hair up." Julie gasped, "ooh, you should wear a little gold headband."

"I think I should find a dress before I decide on these details."

"Well, don't take too long on these decisions. Three months is not a lot of time for wedding planning."

"I know. It's not that much time." She twisted the ring on her finger. "But it also feels like it's an eternity away."

...

"Hey, professor." Elizabeth smiled when she noticed Jack stirring. "How are you feeling?"

He shifted uncomfortably, his eyes just barely opening. "Sleepy."

"Well, that's understandable since you're just coming off of anesthesia."

"You're pretty." He smiled and reached out, trying to touch her cheek.

"And you're on pain medication." She chuckled, taking his hand in hers. "Everything went well. They said it was a textbook appendectomy."

"Can I see it?"

"Your appendix?" Elizabeth tried to hide the disgust she felt. "Um, I don't think so."

"But I need it."

"No, you don't, honey. They said it was really close to rupturing. They got it out just in time."

"How?"

"How did they get it out?"

He nodded, his eyes slipping shut.

"They did it laparoscopically. I think it's three little incisions."

"Oh." He sighed. "Will you marry me?"

"We're already engaged."

"Oh, good. You're pretty," he repeated, looking at her with glassy eyes.

"You need to rest, hon." She touched his cheek. "Just go back to sleep. I'll be right here."

"Okay." His head dropped back on the pillow.

"I love you, Jack."

"Love you," he mumbled just before he dozed off again.

...

The following evening, they were back in Elizabeth's childhood room, lying side-by-side on the bed.

"I'm sorry I ruined Christmas."

"You didn't ruin it, honey." She brushed her fingers through his hair. "It's not like you chose to get appendicitis."

"I love you, Elizabeth. Thank you for staying by me the past couple of days."

"There's no place I'd rather be. I love you, too."

He carefully pulled her to his chest, groaning slightly at the soreness from his incisions.

"Jack, don't hurt yourself."

"I'm fine." He rubbed soothing circles on her back and sighed. "I wish we were getting married sooner. I just want to be your husband."

"We're only about eleven weeks away." She tilted her chin up, touching her lips to his jaw. "Hey, by the way, I started looking at houses."

"Wow, your sisters let you look at something not related to the wedding?"

"Ha ha." She playfully rolled her eyes. "I looked while I was waiting for you to wake up."

"Have you found anything good?"

"There are a few options. Hang on a second." She slipped out of the bed and rifled through her bag, returning to Jack's side with her tablet. "I think I bookmarked them." She settled herself against his shoulder as she scrolled through images. "Now, I know we haven't set a lot of parameters on what we're looking for as far as price and location and stuff, so this is just a start. These are all three or four bedrooms and relatively close to work for both of us."

Jack was quiet for a moment while he looked through the pictures. "This one is nice." He pointed at the screen. "It looks like it has a nice backyard."

"Mhmm. I like that one, too."

"Well, when we get back home, we can go look at it." He kissed her temple, tightening his arm around her.

"Mama," Micah whimpered, pulling himself up on the side of the crib.

"I'm here, buddy." She left the bed once again to retrieve her son. "What's wrong, little bug?" She lifted him to her shoulder.

"Mama." He leaned his head against her shoulder.

"I love you, Micah. Do you want to come snuggle?" She carried him back to the bed with her, settling him between her and Jack.

He lay down, resting his head on Jack's shoulder and sticking his thumb in his mouth.

"I love you, little man."

"I can't believe this is all finally happening, Jack." She leaned over to kiss him. "We're going to be a family."

He grinned at her as he ran his fingers through Micah's hair. "I can't wait."


	23. Chapter 23

Rosemary and Sarah looked up when Elizabeth stepped out from behind the curtain.

"Oh, Elizabeth. You look beautiful."

"That's a pretty dress, Mrs. Coulter," Opal added.

"It's nice, but this isn't it." She looked in the mirror and ran her hands along the lacy skirt of the dress. "I'm going to get out of this and go find something else."

Rosemary stood once Elizabeth was back behind the curtain. "I saw a dress when we walked in that I want her to try on."

"Are you sure about that?" Sarah warned. "She said she didn't want us picking things out willy-nilly."

Rosemary waved her off. "It's just the one. It'll be fine."

She returned a few minutes later with a satiny gown, more fitted than those Elizabeth had been trying on.

"That's not the style she's been looking at."

"I know, but it won't hurt for her to try it on." She approached the curtain. "Elizabeth? I know you told me not to go all Rosemary and take over, but I have something I think you should look at."

She peeked around the curtain. "Yes?"

"It's not exactly like the other dresses you've been trying on, but it caught my eye. Please, just try it on."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Fine." She stuck out her arm to grab the dress. "Only because I know you'll get worse if I say no."

Rosemary grinned. "You know you love me."

"Yeah yeah." She chuckled. "Now let me get dressed."

They heard rustling as Elizabeth changed into the gown, and then it went quiet.

"Elizabeth? Are you okay in there?" Sarah wondered aloud. "Do you need help?"

"No. I've got it."

"Well, let's see it then!"

"I wouldn't have picked this one for myself, but this is it." She came out from behind the curtain again. "This is my dress." Her eyes were full of tears as she stepped up to the mirror.

The dress was white satin—almost silvery in the light—and sleeveless with a wide neckline. The skirt was slightly fitted, growing a bit fuller toward the bottom.

"You look amazing, Elizabeth. It's like that dress was made for you."

"I can't believe it." She turned toward her friends. "It's nearly a perfect fit. How did you find it, Rosie?"

She shrugged, a grin spreading across her face. "I have a gift."

"You look like a princess, Mrs. Coulter."

"Thank you, sweetheart."

"I have a question." Opal approached her and took her hand. "If you're marrying my Uncle Jack, does that mean you'll be my aunt?"

Elizabeth smiled and nodded. "It does."

"So I can call you Aunt Elizabeth?"

"Mhmm, I would love that." Elizabeth nodded again. "And Micah will be your cousin."

She grinned and wrapped her arms around Elizabeth's legs. "That makes me happy."

"Me too, sweetheart."

...

Elizabeth sat in the passenger seat of the car, watching the road in front of her as Jack drove.

"So you looked at dresses today?"

"I did more than look at them. I actually got one."

"That's great." He squeezed her hand. "What's it like?"

"It's white and it's long. That's all you get to know."

"A white wedding dress. How novel." He glanced over at her and gave her a wink. "I bet you look beautiful in it."

"Nine more weeks and you can see for yourself."

He groaned. "We still have nine weeks to go? That's basically forever."

"The time is going to go so quickly, what with all the last-minute wedding preparations and—hopefully—moving into our new house."

"You do realize we need to _find _a new house before we can move into it."

"That's why I said _hopefully_."

They had looked at a few houses since they came back from their Christmas trip to Chicago, but nothing had really stood out for either of them.

"Well, I think we're just about to arrive at today's option." Jack pulled up in front of a house with a for sale sign in the yard. "The outside looks good."

"Ooh, I really like the color."

It was a decent-sized two-story house, with dark gray siding and white trim. There was a big oak tree in the front yard; because it was winter, it was bare, but they could imagine it full and green come springtime and warmly colored in the fall.

"Let's go see if we like the inside, too." He walked around the car and opened her door, offering his hand to help her out.

They met the realtor outside the front door. "Well, are you ready to see another house?"

"Yes, please." Elizabeth took Jack's hand as they stepped through the door into an open and airy entryway leading to a dark wooden staircase. "Oh, wow. I love this entryway. And that staircase is beautiful."

The spent the next hour walking through the house, taking time to look at each room thoroughly and ask questions. It had three bedrooms in addition to the master—Jack smiled inwardly at the thought of filling those rooms with their babies—and a decent-sized kitchen and living area, as well as a nice fenced-in backyard big enough for Luna to stretch her legs.

After giving them the tour, the realtor left them alone in the living room so they could discuss things.

"Okay. What do you think? Honestly."

"Honestly? I love this house, Jack. I think we should put in an offer."

"I agree. Let's let her know."

...

"Jack, did Elizabeth tell you she got her dress today?"

He looked over at Elizabeth and smiled. "She did."

"Did she tell you I'm the one who found it?"

"No, she didn't tell me that. Now I'm even more curious to see it." He winked and reached over to squeeze Elizabeth's hand.

"Everything's really falling into place now. You have a dress and a venue and flowers."

Elizabeth shifted Micah in her lap and gave him another bite of food. "And rings. We found those a few days ago."

"We _might _have a house, too. We put in an offer on the one we went to see today."

"Oh, that's so exciting!"

"I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much, but I love the house. It really feels perfect for us."

"Well, I'll say a prayer that everything goes through."

"Thank you, Rosie."

"Oh, there's one more big thing we need to do for the wedding." Elizabeth glanced across the table at Lorelei. "Lorelei, honey, Uncle Jack and I want to ask you a question."

She looked over at them. "What is it?"

"Would you like to be a flower girl at our wedding?"

"Yes." She nodded eagerly. "What's a flower girl?"

Elizabeth chuckled. "You'll walk down the aisle with Opal and Micah and drop flower petals on the ground."

"But Micah's a boy. How is he a flower girl?"

"He's not a flower girl, sweetheart." Jack laughed. "He's our ring bearer, so he'll carry a little box with the rings in it. You and Opal will be the only ones with the flower petals, but Micah will walk with you two."

"Do I get a dress?" Her eyes sparkled.

"Yes, you do. We'll go with your mama and Opal and Opal's mom and find something really pretty, okay?"

"Yay!"

...

"Are you okay? You seem like you're far away tonight."

"Yeah." She sighed. "I got a new client today, and he's just staying with me for some reason. Usually, I'm pretty good at leaving work at work, but I can't stop thinking about this one."

"I know you can't talk to me about it, but have you mentioned anything about it to your supervisor?"

"Not yet. I'll talk to her about it tomorrow." She tucked her legs up under her. "I just don't know why this one is bothering me so much. I've had clients with similar stories, but there's something about this one…" She shook her head. "I need to stop thinking about this. Say something to distract me."

"Something to distract you… Oh! Actually, I've been thinking lately, there are a few important things we need to talk about before the wedding." He reached for her hand. "We actually should've talked about these things before we got engaged."

"Like what?"

"First: Micah. After we get married, am I going to adopt him?" He squeezed her hand.

"Oh, um. Truthfully, I hadn't even thought about that." She sighed. "I guess it makes sense, though."

"It doesn't need to happen right away, if you don't want it to. And we can keep Coulter as his last name. We could even wait until he's old enough to decide for himself if it's something he wants. I just want you to be comfortable with whatever does—or doesn't—happen."

"I think I need some time to think about it. And please don't take that as anything against you. You're a wonderful father to Micah. This is just a big thing."

"Of course. I wasn't expecting you to agree to anything right away; it's just something I've been thinking about."

She nodded. "What else did you want to discuss?"

"Babies."

"Babies?"

"Do you want any more children? And if you do, how soon would you want to start trying?"

She took his other hand and smiled. "I would love to have babies with you, Jack Thornton. Maybe not right away, though. We're already starting our marriage with Micah in the picture, so I think maybe we should let ourselves get settled before we try to add any more babies to the mix. Not _too_ long, but maybe a year or two."

He grinned. "Okay. Good."

"You're okay with waiting a bit?"

"Honestly, I'm ready for babies whenever, but you're the one who will be pregnant, so I'm going to leave the timing up to you. And I want you to know that my eagerness to have babies with you isn't because I want one that's 'mine,' because you know I love Micah so much. I know he's not mine biologically, he's Pat's, but I feel like he's mine, too. I just love you so much, and I think it would be nice to have another one. I think it would be good for Micah to have a brother or sister."

"I agree that he shouldn't be an only child. I loved having sisters growing up, and I want that for Micah." She leaned against his shoulder. "You know, that house we looked at has lots of room for more babies."

"It does," Jack agreed. "Hopefully we hear something soon."

"If we don't get that one, I don't know if we'll be able to find another one in time to move before the wedding. Even with this one, we'll be cutting it close."

"Everything will work out. No matter what, we'll be together. That's what matters."

"I know." She traced the lines on his palm. "I just think it would be nice to start our marriage in a house that's _ours_."

"You've spent the night here enough times that this house is basically yours, too." He chuckled.

They had discussed the possibility that they wouldn't have a house chosen and ready to move into by the wedding and decided that—in that case—Elizabeth and Micah would move into Jack's house in the meantime.

"Yeah yeah. You know what I mean."

"I do." He wrapped his arms around her. "So, how many babies do you think it'll take to fill that house?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. We should start with just one more, and then go from there."

He kissed the top of her head. "Whatever you want."

"Jack, you don't have to go along with everything I say just because we're getting married."

"I'm not just going along with you. I would be happy to have just one more baby with you, or two more, or ten more."

She coughed. "Not ten. I don't know how many more we'll have, but definitely not that many."

He smiled and kissed her cheek. "I was just trying to make a point. We don't need ten more kids."

"I can't even imagine giving birth that many times." She shuddered.

He chuckled. "Don't worry. I wouldn't put you through that."

...

"Molly?" Elizabeth knocked lightly on the open door of her supervisor's office. "Do you have some time to talk?"

"Sure. Come on in." She turned away from her desk and motioned for Elizabeth to take a seat in the empty chair across from her.

Elizabeth closed the door behind herself and sank down into the chair. "I need to staff a case. Or I guess it's not really a _staffing _per se. I have a client that's really sticking with me for some reason."

"Okay, tell me a bit about the case."

"It's a two-year-old boy. He's in foster care because he was abused by his mother. This definitely isn't the first client I've had with a history of abuse, so I don't know why this one is bothering me more than the others."

"How old is your son now?"

"Just under a year and a half."

Molly was quiet for a moment, giving Elizabeth a chance to think.

"Do you think that's why it's bothering me? He's reminding me of Micah?"

Molly shrugged. "I can't tell you that. I'm just suggesting that maybe it's a possibility."

"This is the youngest client I've had since Micah was born. Maybe that's what it is."

"Maybe. Now," she sat up straighter, "if this case continues to bother you like this, we can always transfer him over to someone else."

Elizabeth nodded. "I'll consider it. Thank you, Molly."

...

"Jack?" Elizabeth entered his house and was confronted with silence. "Hello? Jack? Are you home?" She wandered through the living room, beginning to worry until she caught a glimpse of Luna through the back window. "Jack?" She pushed the door open.

He looked up at her and smiled. "Hi, Beth."

She put her arms around his waist and leaned into his chest. "I was worried for a minute when I walked in and the house was quiet."

He kissed the top of her head. "Sorry about that. I figured I'd let Micah run off some energy outside since it's warmer today." He nodded toward the little boy, who was chasing the dog around the yard.

"I talked to my supervisor today."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mhmm. I think I might have to transfer my client to someone else, though. We figured out this case is bothering me because he reminds me of Micah."

He rubbed her back with one hand. "Do you transfer clients often?"

"No, not really. It's really only in cases like this one where I can't be as objective. Or if the client wants to transfer; that happens sometimes, too. It's all about what's best for the client."

"That makes sense. Hey," he squeezed her hand, "we got the house."

"What?!"

He nodded, a grin spreading across his face. "We got the house. If everything goes as planned, we'll be in it just before the wedding."

She slipped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "That's wonderful!"

...

**7 Weeks Later**

Elizabeth and Jack stood in the driveway, glancing between the house and the moving truck.

"Are we crazy? Trying to move a week before our wedding?"

"Maybe a little." He smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

She leaned into him, her back pressing against his chest. "This is our house, Jack. This is where we're going to spend the first night of our marriage. And all the nights after."

"I can't wait," he whispered in her ear.

She shivered. "Me neither."

He cleared his throat, letting his arms fall away from her. "We should, uh, get back to unloading the truck."

"Good idea." She smiled shyly and gazed at the ground, trying to stop the color from flooding her cheeks.

They spent the next hour and a half pulling all of the boxes from the truck and moving them to the correct rooms in the house.

Once the truck was empty, they stood in the middle of the living room, surrounded by stacks and stacks of boxes.

Jack put his hands on her shoulders. "In case we don't have time to unpack everything this week, we need to decide which rooms need to be ready and which can wait a little while."

"The master bedroom and bathroom definitely need to be ready. Micah's room, too."

"Then maybe the kitchen after those?"

"Mhmm. Then the living room and the office. The guest room and other bathrooms can probably be last."

"Okay. How about I order some food now? We deserve a little break."

"That sounds perfect."

...

Jack kissed the top of Elizabeth's head. "I should probably get going. We have a big day tomorrow."

"I don't want you to leave." She grabbed his hand as he started to stand.

"I don't want to leave, either." He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. "But tomorrow, I'm all yours. No more saying goodbye."

"I like the sound of that."

"I'm going to say good night to Micah before I go."

"Okay. Please don't wake him, though. We don't need him to fuss all the way down the aisle."

Jack chuckled. "Good point. That would make for a very interesting ceremony." He walked into the master bedroom, where Micah was fast asleep in his portable crib. He lightly brushed his fingers through his hair. "Good night, little man. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Still asleep?" Elizabeth whispered when he returned to the living room.

"He's out."

"Good."

"Well." He sighed. "I should go." He took her hands and pulled her up. "I'll see you tomorrow afternoon."

She kissed him softly. "I'll be the one in white."

He grinned and kissed her again. "I love you."

Elizabeth wrapped a blanket around herself and wandered around the house after he left. The furniture was all in place, but they had run out of time to unpack many of the smaller things, making the house feel empty.

She sighed, realizing that what really made the house feel empty was Jack's not being there.

_One more day_, she reminded herself. One more day and they would be married. One more day and they would officially be a family.

That was the last thought she had before she drifted off to sleep on the sofa.

_One more day_.


	24. Chapter 24

Elizabeth woke just as the sun was beginning to rise. She stretched and took a deep breath.

"I'm getting married today," she whispered into the empty room. In just a matter of hours, Jack would be her husband, and she would be his wife. A smile spread across her face, so wide that her cheeks started to hurt.

When she lost Patrick, she wasn't sure that she would ever feel a deep and fulfilling happiness again. She said a silent prayer of thanks for the happiness she had found with Jack.

"Mama." Micah's little voice cut through her reverie. "Mama up."

"I'm coming, little bug."

He was standing up, peering over the side of the portable crib. He grinned at the sight of his mother. "Mama!"

"Well, good morning, Micah." She lifted him onto her hip. "We have a big day today, huh?"

"See Dack?"

"Yes, we'll see Uncle Jack today, because mama and Uncle Jack are getting married. Do you know what that means? It means he'll live with us, and we'll get to see him all the time. Isn't that exciting?" She tickled his belly, eliciting a giggle.

"Eat, pease."

"Are you hungry? Let's go see what there is for breakfast."

The refrigerator and pantry were nearly empty; she and Jack had yet to stock up on groceries since they were preparing to leave for a week following the wedding.

"Well, Micah, how do you feel about eggs? It seems that's about all we have right now."

"Egg!" he squealed.

"Eggs it is." She chuckled and lowered him to the floor, handing him a wooden spoon to play with. "Sit tight, bud. Breakfast will be ready soon."

They had a "conversation" while she cooked, Micah babbling and Elizabeth responding with "really?" and "wow!"

Just as she was helping Micah into his seat, her phone buzzed. She handed him his bowl and a spoon before reaching for her phone.

A smile played on her lips as she answered it. "Morning, professor."

"Good morning, _almost_ _wife_."

Butterflies rose in her stomach at his words and she grinned. "We made it, Jack. We're getting married today."

"Best day ever."

"I can't wait to be your wife."

"And I can't wait to be your husband."

"So, is there a reason you called or…?"

"I just wanted to hear your voice. I couldn't wait until this afternoon."

"It does feel really far away, but it'll be here before we know it."

"What are you doing right now?"

She took a seat and reached for her own bowl, noticing that Micah had already eaten nearly half of his eggs. "Having breakfast."

"What are you wearing?"

A flush filled her cheeks. "Jack Thornton! We aren't married yet."

He chuckled. "Hey, you can't blame a guy for trying." He sighed. "Anyway, I should probably let you finish your breakfast before Rosie and Sarah descend on you with hairspray and pins and whatever else it takes for you women to get ready."

She laughed softly. "Hairspray and pins? If only it were that easy."

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah yeah."

"Hey, Beth?"

"Hm?"

"I love you."

She smiled. "I love you, too."

"See you at our wedding."

"You'd better not change your mind," she teased.

"Never. I'll be waiting at the end of that aisle for you."

...

Rosemary had taken Opal and Lorelei to the bathroom, and Charlotte and Grace were making sure everything was ready for the ceremony and the reception, leaving Elizabeth alone with Micah and Sarah. Elizabeth sat in front of the mirror, touching up her makeup, when she noticed Sarah struggling with her dress.

"Are you okay, Sarah?" Elizabeth stood and approached her almost-sister-in-law.

"I'm fine." She groaned as she tried to get the zipper up on her dress. She blew out a breath and tried again, this attempt also ending in failure. "I was hoping it wouldn't be so tight yet."

"Here." Elizabeth tugged the fabric together, and they were finally able to get the zipper up.

"Thank you."

"So…?" Elizabeth shot a quick glance at her stomach.

Sarah gave her a tiny smile and brushed her hand across her stomach. "We didn't want to say anything until after the wedding. We were trying not to take any of the attention from you guys."

"Sarah." Elizabeth pulled her into a hug. "Congratulations. When are you due?"

"Early October."

"That's wonderful!"

"We're very excited about it." She smoothed down her dress. "Now, enough about me. We can celebrate this baby another time. For now, we need to finish getting you ready."

Half an hour later, Elizabeth stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection as Rosemary pinned the veil into her hair. "I never expected that I would get married more than once. This is weird."

"Are you having second thoughts?"

"No, of course not. I love Jack." She took a deep breath. "It's just a lot."

Lorelei tugged on her dress, breaking her from her thoughts. "You look pretty, Auntie Lizbeth."

"Thank you, honey." Elizabeth took her hand. "You and Opal look very pretty in your dresses."

"Mama." Micah toddled over, arms in the air.

She picked him up and straightened his little yellow bow tie. "Hi, little bug. Are you ready to go see Uncle Jack?"

...

Jack stood at the front of the room, staring back at the door that Elizabeth would be walking through at any moment. He took a deep breath, trying to calm the butterflies filling his stomach. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so nervous.

But at the same time, everything felt _right_.

She was his best friend, the woman he never expected to love, but who had become the most important person in his life. Truthfully, it had felt like the two of them and Micah had been a family for a while.

But he couldn't wait for it to be official.

The door opened slightly, and Opal and Lorelei stepped through in their matching pale yellow dresses.

Micah stood between them, the box containing the rings clasped in his little hands. He looked confused as he stared out at all the people. When the girls started walking, he just stayed frozen in his place, unsure of what to do.

Jack moved into his line of sight and crouched down. "Come here, little man," he whispered, waving him over.

A grin spread across his face, and he hurried past Opal and Lorelei to reach his favorite Uncle Jack. Laughter bubbled up around the room at the sight.

Jack gave him a hug and kissed his cheek before nudging him toward Charlotte, who was sitting in the front row. "Go sit with nana for a few minutes."

Once assured that Micah was settled in, he stood up straight, his gaze returning to the door across the room.

Sarah stepped into the room first, followed closely by Rosemary. Then the music changed.

His breath caught in his throat and his eyes filled with tears when he saw Elizabeth.

She was radiant.

She was struggling to hold back her tears as she walked toward him, her parents on either side of her.

When she reached the end of the aisle, she kissed her father's cheek, hugged her mother, and handed her bouquet of yellow tulips to Rosemary. Her hands shook as she slipped them into Jack's.

"I love you," he mouthed to her silently.

"I love you," she mouthed back.

Their guests were seated, and the ceremony officially began.

Everything moved quickly. Jack knew he should have been focusing on what the pastor was saying, but all of his attention was on Elizabeth.

She was avoiding his gaze, knowing she couldn't keep her composure if she met his eyes. Instead, she shifted her eyes from their clasped hands to the pale yellow bow tie at his throat and back down to their hands.

He cleared his throat when it came time for their vows, and she finally lifted her eyes to his. He squeezed her hands gently as he spoke of his love for her and his promise to remain loyal to her.

She stumbled over her words, her voice thick with tears as she promised the same.

Just a few minutes later, they exchanged rings, and the pastor pronounced them husband and wife.

Not even a second after the pastor gave them permission to kiss, Jack's lips were on Elizabeth's. He pulled away after a brief moment, and she smiled, a silent laugh rolling through her.

Before they were pulled aside for pictures, he led her over to a corner where they could have a moment alone.

"So…" Jack ran his fingers down her arms. "We're married."

"I know we are. I was there."

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you." She leaned up to kiss him. "You look pretty handsome yourself."

He trailed his lips across her jaw. "Do we really have to have a reception?"

She laughed softly. "Patience, professor."

He pressed his lips to hers once more. "Is it just me, or is kissing so much better now that we're married?"

A flush rose in her cheeks. "It's not just you."

"Elizabeth? Jack?" Rosemary's voice floated down the hall. "The photographer is ready."

Elizabeth reached up and ran her finger down his cheek. "Just a few more hours, and then we'll finally be alone."

"Or we could just sneak out of here right now."

"Rosie would never let us live that down."

"Speaking of Rosie…" Jack caught sight of her over Elizabeth's shoulder.

"There you are!" She exclaimed as she approached them. "Put the kissing on hold for now. We need to get these pictures taken before the sun goes down."

...

Micah leaned against Elizabeth's shoulder as she swayed in the middle of the dance floor. Jack was nearby, twirling Opal and sending her into a fit of giggles.

He caught Elizabeth's eye and winked at her. She felt butterflies fill her stomach as she watched her _husband_.

When the song ended, he encouraged Opal to go find her parents, then took a few steps to close the gap between him and Elizabeth. "I think it's our turn again."

"We're going to have a third wheel." She nodded toward Micah, who didn't seem to be in any hurry to leave her arms.

"I'll take him." Charlotte approached them. "I think he needs more Nana Charlotte time."

"Thank you." Elizabeth handed him over.

"Now, where were we?" Jack offered his hand. Elizabeth smiled and slipped her fingers into his, resting her other hand on his shoulder.

Jack held their clasped hands against his chest as they turned slowly.

"Do you remember the first time we danced together at a wedding?"

She laughed softly. "You mean when I was halfway through my pregnancy with Micah and my belly took up all the space between us?"

"Mhmm." He pulled her closer, until there was scarcely an inch separating their bodies. "That was nice, but this is even better."

She leaned her head against his shoulder. "I love you, Jack Thornton."

He kissed her temple. "I love you, Elizabeth Thornton."

...

"Are you ready?" He sidled up to her, slipping his arm around her waist.

She nodded, setting her empty champagne glass on the table. "I just need to say good night to Micah."

He kept his hand on her back as they crossed the room to find him. He was dozing in the arms of Elizabeth's mother.

"Mom?"

She looked up. "Are you heading out?"

"Yes. I just wanted to say bye to Micah." She held out her hands for her son. He immediately settled into her arms, his eyelids drooping. "Hey, little bug. Uncle Jack and I are leaving now. You be good for nana and papa Coulter, okay?" She kissed his forehead. "I'm going to miss you, Micah Patrick. I love you so much."

"May I?" Jack held out his arms, pulling Micah into a hug. "I love you, little man. Mama and I will see you soon."

"He's staying with Marie and Leland?" Grace questioned as Jack passed Micah back to her.

Elizabeth nodded in confirmation. "Yes. They'll take him up to Tulsa for the week." She took a deep breath. "Well, we should go say goodbye to the rest of the family and head out." She leaned down to hug her mom, then her dad. "Thank you both for being here."

They said quick goodbyes to the Coulters, Charlotte, and their siblings before making their way out of the room.

Jack offered Elizabeth his arm. "Well, I think it's time for me to take my _wife _home."

"Well, then what are you waiting for, _husband_?"

They were both quiet until Jack pulled the car into their driveway.

He reached across the center console and took her hand. "We're about to walk into our house for the first time as a married couple. I can hardly believe it."

"Let's go."

Once they reached the door, he insisted on carrying her over the threshold. She burst out in laughter when he accidentally bumped her head against the door frame.

"Sorry about that." He lowered her to the floor in the entryway. "Are you okay?"

She smiled and stood on her toes to kiss him. "I'm fine. Maybe just no more carrying me through doorways." She chuckled and kissed him again. "Did you eat much at the reception?"

"Not a whole lot," he admitted.

"I didn't, either. How about I get us some snacks while you get the bags and things from the car?"

"Sounds good, _Mrs. Thornton_." He gave her a wink and stepped back outside.

It took him a couple of trips to bring everything in, and by the time the last of the bags were placed in the entryway, Elizabeth had laid out an impressive spread of snacks on the coffee table, but she was nowhere to be found.

"Beth? Where'd you go?"

"I'm in the bedroom," she called out. "I'll be out in a second."

He took off his jacket, untied his bow tie, removed his vest, and took a seat on the sofa. When Elizabeth emerged a few moments later, she was no longer in her dress. Instead, she was dressed in a pale blue satiny robe that was tied at the waist, and she had taken the pins out of her hair, letting it cascade down her back.

"Sorry. I didn't want to risk spilling anything on the dress."

"Don't be sorry." He approached her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Wow." He let out a breath. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you." Heat flooded her cheeks. "Um, should we eat?"

Jack leaned in and kissed her softly. "Hey, it's okay, Beth. It's just us. No expectations."

"I know. I don't know why I'm feeling like this. I've been married before, so obviously I know…" she trailed off.

"I'm nervous, too."

She met his eyes. "You are?"

He nodded. "I am." He cupped her face in his hand, brushing his thumb across her still-flushed cheek. "Let's just eat and then go from there, okay?"

She nodded, feeling so loved and cared for.

Her nerves melted away as they chatted and nibbled on the food she had set out.

"You okay?" he questioned when she reached back to rub her neck.

"I'm fine. Just a little bit sore. I slept on this sofa last night."

"Why would you do that when there's a nice, comfortable bed in the master?"

"_Our _bed. In _our _room. It felt weird to be in there without you. It actually felt weird just being in this house without you."

"Well, the good news is, you don't have to be in this house without me anymore. Or our room. Or our bed."

She took a deep breath, trying to push down the nerves that threatened to return. "Speaking of, I think I'm ready to go to bed."

...

Jack brushed his fingers through Elizabeth's hair, rousing her from sleep. "Elizabeth, love, we need to get up so we can get to the airport on time."

She snuggled closer to him. "Five more minutes?"

He kissed the top of her head. "I've already let us stay in bed longer than I planned."

"Can't we just have our honeymoon here?"

"In our house?"

She nodded into his chest. "We have a bed here. We can order food. That's all we need."

"While that is an excellent point," he chuckled, "everything's already paid for. We don't want that money to go to waste, do we?"

She sighed. "I guess not."

A few hours later, they were in the air on their way to Arizona. Jack had booked a small vacation home for them a short drive away from the Grand Canyon. They were planning to hike a few of the trails and just enjoy the scenery.

They were both very much looking forward to having the whole week to themselves. Aside from the weekend they spent together to celebrate their engagement, they had never really had more than a couple of hours alone.

...

"I'm exhausted," Elizabeth groaned, pulling off her shoes and sinking down onto the bed.

It was the last full day of their honeymoon before they would be returning home, and they had spent the majority of the day hiking the Canyon, only returning to their little vacation home when the sun began to dip below the horizon.

"How about I run you a bath?"

"You've run a bath for me every single day we've been here."

He leaned against the wall as he removed his shoes. "Well, it's the least I can do for making you hike so much."

"You didn't _make _me do anything, but yes, a bath sounds heavenly." She walked over and grabbed his shirt, standing on her toes to kiss him. "Maybe you could join me tonight."

"I thought you were exhausted."

"Call it a second wind." She smiled mischievously and slipped her fingers under his shirt, feeling the muscles of his stomach tighten at her touch. "Unless you'd rather not join me."

He grinned. "I'll go get it started."

When he returned from the bathroom a few minutes later, she was lying back on the bed, smiling at her phone.

"What's that look for?"

"Marie sent me some pictures of Micah earlier." She turned her phone around so he could see.

"I miss that little man." He smiled as he scrolled through the pictures, one of Micah snuggling with his teddy bear while he napped, one of him with applesauce smeared across his cheeks, and one of him riding on Leland's shoulders.

"I miss him, too. He seems to be having fun, though, so that makes it a little easier." She set the phone on the nightstand and sat up. "We should probably get in the tub before the water gets cold."

Jack got in first, leaving space for Elizabeth in front of him.

She stepped into the water. "Good call choosing a place with a big bathtub."

"I _may _have gotten some advice from Rosie about things you would like. Is that weird?"

She laughed softly, leaning back against his chest. "Maybe a little, but you can go ahead and thank her for me."

"You know, we could redo the master bathroom in our house, put in a tub like this."

"Ooh, don't tempt me."

He wrapped his arms around her, sighing contentedly. "Can you believe we've been married for a whole week now?"

"One of the best weeks of my life." She turned her head to brush her lips across his jaw. "I don't want to go back to the real world tomorrow."

"At least we'll be going back _together_."

"That's true."

He put a finger under her chin, turning her face to his. "I love you, Elizabeth Thornton."

She leaned in and kissed him deeply. "I love you, Jack Thornton."


	25. Chapter 25

Elizabeth unbuckled her seatbelt and reached for her carry-on bag before slipping her fingers into Jack's. "I've loved having this past week to ourselves, but goodness, I can't wait to see our boy."

Jack squeezed her hand, his heart warming at the words _our boy_. "Just a few more minutes, and we'll have him back with us."

"So, I was thinking we could order something for dinner tonight since we don't really have much other than snacks in the house right now. Maybe Italian?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "You and your pasta."

"And we should probably go to the grocery store after church tomorrow."

"Okay."

"Or we could stay home from church since we just got back. Are you up to going?"

"Yeah." He glanced down the aisle, noting that the line of people had yet to begin exiting the plane.

"You okay?" She looked up at him, concern touching her eyes. "You seem like your mind is somewhere else."

"I'm fine. Just ready to get home with you and little man."

"Soon." She leaned over the armrest to kiss him deeply, forgetting about the plane full of people still surrounding them.

"You two are adorable," the woman sitting at the end of their row said.

"Thank you." Elizabeth blushed and buried her face in Jack's shoulder.

"Honeymoon?"

"Yes, ma'am," Jack replied. "We're just returning. Got married a week ago." He slipped his arm around Elizabeth's shoulders.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you."

Elizabeth glanced down at her phone when it buzzed as a few messages came in. "Oh, good."

"What is it?" Jack glanced at the screen.

"Marie said she and Leland are waiting in the baggage claim area with Micah." She sighed. "Oh, I can't wait to see him."

"Almost there."

...

"Hey, Micah, I think I see your mama over there." Marie pointed toward the doors, where a crowd of people was beginning to come down the hallway.

He twisted in Leland's arms to follow her finger. "Mama!" he shrieked when Elizabeth came into his line of sight.

"Hang on, buddy." Leland tightened his hold on the little boy as he began to squirm. "She'll be over here soon."

"Hello, little bug." Elizabeth immediately reached for him. He snuggled up against her shoulder. "I missed you so much, Micah Patrick. I love you." She kissed the top of his head, her eyes filling with tears.

"Love mama."

"Oh, my sweet boy."

Jack shook Leland's hand and hugged Marie. "Thank you so much for watching him for us."

"Of course. We loved getting to spend time with him." Marie smiled and reached out to rub Micah's back. "He's so much like Patrick was at that age. Just the sweetest little thing."

"And he's looking more and more like him as he gets older." Jack ruffled his hair. "So much like your daddy. Right, little man?"

Elizabeth smiled and tightened her arms around her son. "So much like Patrick. I keep saying if he hadn't come out of me, you wouldn't really know he's mine."

Jack nudged her. "You're in there somewhere."

She chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. Anyway, should we get our bags and get home?"

"Let's go."

...

Micah sat on Elizabeth's lap, leaning back against her chest as he drank from his sippy cup of milk. Elizabeth smiled and sighed.

Jack draped his arm across her shoulders. "What's on your mind, love?"

"I just can't believe we're here, finally a family." She brushed her fingers through Micah's hair. "When Pat died, I didn't think I would get to experience these little family moments. I was so sure Micah and I would be alone."

He trailed his thumb across her cheek. "Even without me, you and Micah wouldn't be alone."

"You know what I mean."

"I do." He leaned in and kissed her softly.

"I'm so thankful for you, Jack Thornton, more than you can know. Thank you for marrying me."

"Thank _you _for marrying _me. _And thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a dad to the greatest little man in the world." He grinned and touched Micah's cheek.

He reached for Jack. "Dack."

"Hey, sweet boy." Jack took him from Elizabeth, settling him on his lap. "Are you so happy to be home with your mama?"

"Mama." He pointed at Elizabeth, then settled back against Jack's chest, still sipping his milk.

"I think it's probably time for a story, and then someone needs to go to bed." She reached over and tickled him, eliciting a little giggle.

Half an hour later, he was fast asleep in Elizabeth's arms as she rocked slowly in the glider. Jack closed the book and set it back on the shelf.

"Good night, Micah." He kissed the little boy on the forehead.

Elizabeth lowered him into his crib, smiling as he rolled onto his side and stuck his thumb in his mouth. She pushed the hair back from his forehead. "Good night, my darling boy." She just stood and watched him for a few moments, trying to make up for the week away from him. "I forgot how much I love just watching him sleep. He's so perfect."

"He is," Jack agreed. He slipped his arms around her, resting his head on her shoulder. "Have I mentioned lately how much I love you?" he whispered. "_Both _of you."

She turned to face him, placing a hand on his stubbly cheek. "And we both love you, too." She stood on her toes to kiss him before returning her gaze to her son. He sighed and stretched out his legs. "I hope he's okay sleeping in his own room tonight. I never bothered moving his crib out of my room at the other house, so he's hardly ever slept alone."

"Would you like me to move the crib into our room?"

She took his hand and led him into the hallway. "Jack, we just got married. Do you really want a toddler sleeping in our room?"

"Good point." He gave her a crooked smile. "Shall we?" He motioned toward their bedroom.

"Isn't it still a little early for us to go to sleep?"

He slipped his fingers under the hem of her shirt and gave her a mischievous look. "Who said anything about sleeping?"

...

"Jack, honey." She nudged him gently. "You need to get up and get ready for church."

"Mm, five more minutes," he groaned, rolling onto his back and throwing his arm over his face.

"I gave you an extra half hour already." She kissed his cheek. "Hop in the shower, and I'll have breakfast ready when you're done."

True to her word, she had a plate of pancakes and bacon waiting on the table when he emerged fifteen minutes later.

"Dack!" Micah mumbled around a mouthful of pancakes.

Jack chuckled and ruffled his hair. "Morning, little man. Are you enjoying your breakfast?"

Elizabeth passed him a bottle of syrup as he took a seat. "We only have about twenty minutes before we need to be out the door, so eat quickly, please."

"Hey, are you okay?"

She nodded and sat across from him. "Just a little flustered. Rosie's been texting me all morning, and somebody," she glanced over at Micah, "has decided to be difficult today."

He reached over and took her hand. "Why don't we just stay home this morning?"

"No. It's fine. I don't want us getting in the habit of skipping church when one of us has a rough morning."

He squeezed her fingers and let go. "Okay."

They arrived at the church just a few minutes later than Elizabeth was hoping and slipped into their usual pew beside the Rosemary.

"Good morning. How are the newlyweds?" She asked with a grin.

"We're good. Wishing we were still on our honeymoon, though." Jack winked at Elizabeth and shifted Micah in his lap.

"You had a good time then?"

"We had a wonderful time." Elizabeth squeezed Jack's hand. "Where are Lee and the kids?"

"Leo needed a diaper change and Lorelei needed to go to the bathroom, and he offered to take them."

"Auntie Lizbeth!" Lorelei hurried down the aisle, getting ahead of Lee.

"And I guess they're back now." Rosemary chuckled.

"Hi, honey." Elizabeth lifted Lorelei into her lap. "I missed you."

"You and Uncle Jack are married now?"

She nodded. "Remember, you were there when we got married."

"You have a new house?"

"Mhmm, we do. You and your mom and dad and brother will have to come visit us sometime."

She looked over at her mother eagerly. "Can we, mama?"

"Of course, baby. Auntie Elizabeth and I will plan a day that we can go visit. Okay?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Okay."

...

"Uncle Jack!" Opal launched herself into his arms the moment he opened the door. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too, sweet pea." Luna barked and jumped up on him. He laughed, giving her head a scratch. "Hey, Looney Luna. Did Opal take good care of you?"

Opal nodded. "I fed her and brushed her and played with her in the yard and took her on walks."

"Thanks for watching her for us." He directed his comment to both Opal and Tom.

"Of course, big brother." Tom clapped him on the back, following him into the house. "So how was the honeymoon?"

Jack lowered Opal to the ground, and she turned her attention to the dog. "It was wonderful, and perfect, and a thousand more adjectives like that. I forgot how beautiful out there. Those views are just incredible."

"And I bet you had some nice views inside, too." Tom winked.

"Hey." Jack smacked his arm playfully. "That's my wife you're talking about."

"I am happily married to Sarah, and I personally think _she's_ the most beautiful woman in the world, but that doesn't mean I haven't noticed how pretty your wife is." He chuckled. "Anyway, are you and Elizabeth going to give Opal another cousin anytime soon?"

"Wow, right to it, huh? We've talked about having another baby someday, but not anytime soon. We're going to wait a little while."

Opal glanced up. "I'm getting a brother soon, Uncle Jack!"

"Opal Jean," Tom spoke sternly.

She quickly covered her mouth, her eyes going wide. "Sorry, daddy. I forgot it's a secret."

"That's okay, honey. Just don't tell anyone else, please."

"So?" Jack looked at him curiously.

Tom nodded, smiling sheepishly. "Yes, Sarah's pregnant. Due in October. And, despite what Opal says, we don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet."

"Congrats, man."

"Thanks." He put his hands on his hips and sighed. "Well, we should get out of your hair now. Come on, Opal. Say goodbye to Luna and Uncle Jack."

"Bye, Luna." She kissed the dog's head, then ran over to Jack, throwing her arms around his legs. "Bye, Uncle Jack."

"Bye, sweet pea."

...

Elizabeth smiled when she entered the house and heard Jack speaking to Micah in the kitchen. She set her bag down and crossed the room. "Anyone home?" She peeked into the kitchen.

"Mama!" Micah squealed from his high chair, cracker crumbs covering his face.

"Hi, little bug." She kissed the top of his head.

"What about me?" Jack pretended to pout.

"Don't worry. I haven't forgotten you." She stepped into his open arms. "I missed you today."

He kissed her deeply. "I missed you, too. A whole week of being together nearly twenty-four seven, and now we have to be apart nine hours a day."

"We should just quit our jobs so we can be together all the time again."

Jack chuckled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "If only we could."

She leaned into his chest, savoring the feel of his strong arms around her.

He kissed her hair. "I'm making stir fry for dinner, by the way."

"Yum. That must be why it smells so good in here."

"I thought that was you." He gave her a crooked smile.

"Are you saying I smell like stir fry?"

He laughed. "No, that's not what I meant. You just always smell wonderful. Like lavender and mint."

"Have you been reading my shampoo bottles?" She chuckled. "I'm not sure I smell great right now, though. I probably smell like play-doh and bubble soap."

"Play-doh and bubble soap? What do you even do at your job?"

"Therapy." She shrugged. "Anyway, I'll go get changed, and then I can help you finish dinner."

...

As the week went on, they got more settled in their routine. Elizabeth took Micah to daycare before work, and Jack picked him up after. They cooked dinner together and spent some time with Micah before putting him to bed.

Once Micah was asleep, they typically sat together at the dining room table while Jack prepared his lectures and Elizabeth planned some therapy sessions for the following day. Then, they went to bed and started it all over the next day.

By the time the weekend arrived, they were more than ready to relax and spend some time together.

Saturday morning, Elizabeth walked into the master bedroom, Micah dozing in her arms. "Micah has a fever."

"I think I might have one, too." Jack shivered and pulled the quilt up to his neck.

She touched the back of her hand to his forehead. "Yes, you do. Okay, you two are staying in bed for the rest of the day. I'll call Rosie and tell her we'll need to reschedule dinner." She lowered Micah onto the bed beside Jack. "Do you want anything in particular for breakfast? I can make you some toast or oatmeal, or something else if neither of those sounds good."

"I'm not hungry."

"Jack, you need to eat something. Toast or oatmeal?"

"Not oatmeal." He grimaced, shaking his head. "Toast is fine. With just a little bit of butter."

"Water, milk, or juice?"

"Water, please. And a small glass of orange juice, too."

She kissed his forehead. "Coming right up."

When she returned to the bedroom a few minutes later, she found that Jack had fallen back to sleep, this time with Micah resting on his chest. She set the tray with his breakfast and Micah's sippy cup on the nightstand.

"My sweet boys," she whispered.

While they slept, she took the opportunity to unpack a few more boxes in the guest room. Having moved in just a week before leaving on their honeymoon, they hadn't quite finished unpacking things.

An hour later, the boxes were empty. The guest room now had pictures on the wall and fresh bedding on the bed, and the bathroom that Micah would share with whatever other children they would have was ready to be used.

She walked back to the master bedroom, quietly peeking in. Jack was awake this time, and she noticed that the breakfast tray she had brought for him was now empty.

"Hey." Elizabeth sat on the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"A little better, but I'm still feeling really achy. I'm not as sick to my stomach now that I've eaten a little."

"Good." She ran her fingers through his hair. "You still feel warm. Do you think some medicine might help? I can bring you some ibuprofen."

"Yes, please."

She returned shortly, pill bottle in hand.

"Thank you." He took a couple of the pills, then handed the bottle back to her.

"How's Micah been?"

Jack glanced over at the little boy, who was stretched out beside him. His little cheeks were flushed, his hair plastered to his forehead. "Tired. He woke up for a few minutes while I was eating, so I got him to drink a little bit then before he fell back to sleep."

"I hate that you're both sick."

Jack took her hand. "I hate that you're having to take care of us. This is not how we should be spending our two-week anniversary."

"No, but this is our life, hon. In sickness and in health."

"We're already testing those vows, huh?" He laughed softly.

She kissed his forehead. "I'm going to get some crackers for Micah. Do you need anything?"

"Could you bring my laptop in here?"

"As long as you promise not to do any work. No working while you're sick."

He smiled and gave her a little salute. "Scout's honor."

"I'll be right back."

...

Elizabeth leaned back against the headboard. Micah sat in her lap, alternating between nibbling on a cracker and taking sips of water.

Jack had pulled up Netflix on his laptop, and they were all watching the show that was playing with varying degrees of focus.

Jack turned toward her. "Hey, I know you've already taken some time off work this year, but do you have any more vacation time left?"

"Some, I think. And I can work some half days on Saturdays to make up for what I miss. Why?"

"Would you be up for a big trip this summer?"

"We just went on a big trip for our honeymoon."

"I'm thinking international this time."

"Like where? England?" She nodded toward the laptop, where an English landscape was being shown on the screen.

"Actually, Ireland. Maybe Scotland, too."

"And it would just be the two of us?"

"Well, I was thinking we would bring Micah." He reached over and touched Micah's cheek. "Unless you want it to be just the two of us. That's fine, too. I just thought it might be fun to show you some of the places I've told you about, and there are some places in Northern Ireland I'd like to see."

"That could be fun. I'll have to talk to my supervisor about taking some more vacation days. When were you thinking?"

"It'll have to be sometime in July or the beginning of August. I'm teaching an intersession class in May and June, and then regular classes start back up in the middle of August."

"Okay. I need to make sure my passport hasn't expired, and we'll need to get a passport for Micah." She kissed the top of his head. "What do you think, little bug? Do you want to go on a big family vacation to Ireland this summer?"

Jack grinned. "_Family vacation_. I love the sound of that."

"Well, the three of us are a family now. Forever."

He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Beth."

"I love you, professor."


	26. Chapter 26

"Good morning, little bug." Elizabeth flipped on the light in Micah's room.

He stretched his little arms and rolled onto his back, his legs getting tangled in his blanket.

She lifted him from the crib and carried him over to the changing table. "Oh, sweetheart. You still feel warm." She touched his forehead. "Are you still sick?"

"Mama," he mumbled.

She spoke to him quietly as she changed his diaper and dressed him. He was clearly still trying to wake up fully, blinking slowly as he looked up at her.

"Okay, bud." She picked him up. "Does your tummy hurt, or are you hungry?"

He nodded. "Hungy."

"Then let's go see what Uncle Jack is making for breakfast."

He leaned his head against her shoulder and sighed. "Mama."

"I'm sorry you're not feeling well, Micah." She rubbed his back and carried him into the kitchen, where Jack was making breakfast. "Micah still has a fever."

Jack turned away from the stove. "Poor guy. So he can't go to daycare."

She nodded. "He has to be fever-free for twenty-four hours."

"Then I'll take him to work with me."

"Are you sure?" She strapped Micah into his high chair.

"Yes. I'll be in my office most of the day, anyway, and I can't imagine he'll be too distracting during my lectures if he's still not feeling well." He went back to stirring the eggs in the pan, sprinkling in salt and pepper. "I'm sure no one will mind if he's there."

"Could you take him to the doctor, too? I'm a little worried since this is the third day he's had this fever. I can call and make the appointment and everything."

"Yes, if you can make sure it's not during any of my classes."

"And those are at ten, eleven, and three?"

"Yes." He grinned. "I love that you know my schedule. I'm pretty sure I have a couple of students who still don't know what time their class starts."

"I just like knowing where you are." She kissed his cheek. "I'll call the pediatrician when I get to work and let you know what time."

"Okay." He pulled the pan off the heat. "Can you bring some plates over?"

Jack served them each some eggs and fruit while Elizabeth prepared two cups of coffee and a sippy cup of milk for Micah.

"Here you go, little bug." Elizabeth put the sippy cup and a plate of food in front of Micah.

Twenty minutes later, Elizabeth kissed Jack and Micah goodbye and headed out the door.

"Well, little man, looks like you're coming to work with me today." Jack lifted Micah from the high chair. "Let's get you some toys and snacks. Okay?"

...

Jack logged off the computer and stood up. "Well, little man," he lifted Micah to his hip, "ready to go back to my office and have a little snack before we take you to the doctor?"

"'Nack?"

"Mhmm. I brought you some crackers and applesauce."

"Yum!"

Jack laughed as he walked down the hall toward his office. "I'm glad you approve of my snack choices."

"Hey, Jack." One of his fellow professors poked his head out of one of the offices. "Is this the famous Micah you've told us about?"

"Hey, Mike." He grinned and. "Yes, this is my boy. He hasn't been feeling too well this weekend, so he got to come to work with me today."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Micah. I'm sorry you've been sick."

He just stared at the unfamiliar man, unsure of what to do.

Jack chuckled. "I should get him to my office. I promised him some snacks. I'll see you later, Mike."

"See you later."

Once in his office, Jack took a seat at his desk and put Micah on his lap, handing him the pouch of applesauce and making sure the crackers were within his reach.

"Mama." Micah mumbled through a mouthful of applesauce, pointing at one of the framed photos residing on Jack's desk.

"That's right, bud. That's your mama." Jack grabbed the frame and held it in front of Micah. "Do you remember this?"

It was one of the photographs that had been taken of the three of them on Christmas Eve. Jack and Elizabeth were both laughing, her eyes on him. Micah was turned in Elizabeth's arms, trying to see what was so funny. There had been better photos taken that evening—ones where they were all smiling and looking at the camera—but Jack liked the candid one best.

"Daddy." Micah pointed at Jack in the photo.

"What did you say?"

"Daddy." He glanced between the photo and Jack, pointing again at the picture.

He placed the frame back on his desk, turning Micah in his lap. "Micah, who am I?"

"Daddy." He smiled and kicked his legs.

Jack hugged him, tears filling his eyes. "You're right, bud. I'm your daddy."

"Love daddy."

"I love you, too, little man." Jack kissed the top of his head, then reached for another frame on his desk.

This one held a photo of him and Lee and Patrick from one of their early years of college. They all sat on a bench on campus, arms resting on each other's shoulders. Jack smiled at the memory.

"Who is this?" He pointed at Patrick.

"Dada."

He let out a sigh of relief that Micah wasn't forgetting about Patrick. "That's right, Micah. That's your dad. And who's this?" He pointed at Lee.

"Unca Lee."

"And this?" He pointed at himself.

"Daddy."

"That's right. Good job." He caught a glimpse of his watch as he set the frame back down. "Okay, little man. It's time to get you to the doctor."

...

Elizabeth quietly stepped through the door just as Jack was coming down the stairs with Micah.

"Hi, love."

"Hi." She smiled. "How did everything go with Micah today?"

"Good. He seems to be feeling fine now. Right, little man?" Jack tickled his belly, and he giggled. "You're feeling better."

"Good. I'm glad you're feeling better, little bug." She took Micah from him, dropping a kiss on the top of his head. "So what did the doctor say?"

"Well, Micah has roseola. His fever had broken by the time I took him to the appointment, but he has a rash now." He reached over and lifted Micah's shirt a bit, revealing the red splotches that covered his torso. "Doc said it'll last a couple of days, but he'll be just fine. He shouldn't be contagious anymore, though, so the doctor cleared him to go back to daycare, but I'll just take him to work again with me tomorrow since he's not twenty-four hours fever free until the middle of the day."

"Well, that's good, I guess. How did he behave for you?"

"He was really good. I just set him up with some toys in my office and he kept himself pretty well occupied. And he loved helping me control the slides during my lectures."

Elizabeth touched Micah's cheek. "Did you help Uncle Jack with his classes today?"

"Daddy." He pointed at Jack.

Jack's eyes went wide, and he quickly started explaining, "he just started doing that today. I promise I didn't teach him that or prompt him or anything, it was completely spontaneous. I have no idea how he learned it. He still calls Patrick 'dada,' though; he still knows who his dad is. I made sure of it."

"Jack, breathe." She put a hand on his shoulder, waiting for him to look at her. "Hey, did you think I would be upset about this?"

He shrugged. "You always call me 'Uncle Jack' around him, so I don't know what I expected. I guess I figured there was a reason for that."

"Honestly, I think it's just become a habit to call you that, but you _are_ his daddy, Jack. I fully expected he would start calling you that eventually—especially since we're planning to have more kids eventually, and they'll call you daddy. Of course, we'll make sure he always knows Patrick is his dad, but _you _are the one who will be there for him as he grows up. You've been there since before he was born. You'll be there to help him learn to ride a bike and throw a ball and to pick him up when he falls down. You read to him before bed, you play with him, you love him. Of course he calls you daddy now, and he should."

Jack felt tears fill his eyes at her words.

"Honey? Are you okay?" Elizabeth asked, concern in her eyes. She touched his cheek, brushing away a tear with her thumb.

"I just love that I get to be his daddy. I love this little man." He wiped his eyes and chuckled. "Gosh, I've become such a softie since we got married."

She leaned in to kiss him. "That's not a bad thing. I like having a softie for a husband." She slipped her arm around him, Micah squeezed between them.

"Gosh, I'll never get tired of hearing that."

"That you're a softie?"

"No." He chuckled, then leaned in to brush his lips against her ear. "That I'm your _husband_."

She shivered. "Well, _husband of mine_, how do you feel about babysitting?"

"That depends. Who needs to be babysat?"

"Lorelei and Leo. Rosie texted me today and asked if we could watch them Friday evening while she and Lee go out for their anniversary."

"That's fine with me."

"Good, because I already said we would."

"What if I had plans?"

Elizabeth laughed. "When was the last time you had plans with someone other than me, or Lee, or a member of your family?"

"Point taken." He kissed her softly and took Micah back from her. "I'll go start on dinner. I'm making black bean enchiladas."

"Yum." She kissed his cheek. "I'll be back down after I change."

...

"Hi, Uncle Jack! Hi, Auntie Lizbeth!"

"Hi, honey."

"Can we have ice cream tonight?"

Elizabeth chuckled as the little girl ran into the house before waiting for an answer. "We'll see, Lorelei," she called out. She took the baby from Rosemary.

"She can have a little bit, but please don't sugar her up too much."

Jack laughed, shifting Micah to his other hip and taking the diaper bag from Rosemary. "Don't worry. We won't."

"Good," she raised her eyebrows, "because I would remember that the next time we babysit Micah."

"Well, we can't have that."

"Have fun tonight. And tell Lee hello from us."

"I will. We'll be back in a few hours." She peered around them into the house. "Bye, Lorelei."

"Bye, mama!" she called from the living room.

"And goodbye, my beautiful boy." She smiled and touched Leo's cheek.

He gave her a little grin.

"See you later."

Elizabeth closed the door behind Rosemary and followed Jack into the living room, where Lorelei was busy building with some of Micah's blocks.

"Well, Lorelei, what should we do?"

"Eat ice cream!"

"If you behave, you can have a little bit of ice cream, but we have to eat dinner first."

"You can help me make dinner if you want, honey." Jack lowered Micah to the floor. "We're having macaroni and cheese."

"I love macaroni and cheese!"

He laughed. "I know. We asked your parents what you and your brother would like to eat." He looked back at Elizabeth. "Are you okay in here with the boys?"

She nodded. "We're good."

Lorelei skipped into the kitchen with Jack, and Elizabeth took a seat on the floor with her son.

She put Leo beside her. "Should we build something, boys?"

"Build." Micah reached for the blocks, stacking them up in front of himself.

Leo reached for a block, too, but he brought it to his mouth and started chewing on it.

"Are you teething, bud? Micah liked to chew on blocks when he was teething, too." She grabbed the diaper bag and started rifling through it. "Let's see if your mama packed you a teether. That'll be more comfortable for you." Eventually, she found his teething toy, convincing him to chew on that instead of the block.

"Mama." Micah pointed at the little tower of blocks he had made, smiling at his handiwork.

"I see, you made a tower. Good job, little bug."

Before she could stop him, Leo swung his chubby little arm, knocking all the blocks to the floor. Micah looked stunned for a moment before bursting into tears. He toddled over to Elizabeth, climbing into her lap.

"Oh, I know. Leo knocked down your tower, and that made you sad. I'm sorry, Micah." She brushed her fingers through his hair. "He didn't mean to make you upset."

Soothed by her voice, he quickly settled down, his cries quieting to whimpers.

"Micah, when you're ready, I'll help you build another tower, okay?"

"You're amazing."

She jumped a bit, startled by Jack's voice.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He took a seat on the floor beside her, and Lorelei sat in his lap. "Is that the kind of stuff you do in therapy?"

"That's a small part of it, yes. Young children don't know how to verbalize their feelings, so it's important to talk them through emotional situations so they have the words to discuss their feelings in the future."

He cupped her cheek in his hand. "Your clients are so lucky to have you, Elizabeth."

"I'm not the only competent child therapist out there."

"Please, just take the compliment, love. You're amazing, and there's no need for you to downplay that."

She blushed. "Thank you, Jack."

"Uncle Jack? Is the macaroni and cheese ready yet?"

"Oh, children." He laughed. "Just a few more minutes, honey."

After dinner, they all snuggled up on the sofa to watch a movie. Lorelei was squished between Elizabeth and Jack, enjoying a bowl of ice cream. Micah was dozing in Elizabeth's lap, and Jack was giving Leo a bottle.

Elizabeth looked over at her husband and smiled. He was speaking softly to Leo as he took his bottle, and the baby was wide-eyed as he listened.

She sighed contentedly, thinking that she would be perfectly happy to stay in that moment forever.

...

"He's asleep." Jack came down the stairs, sinking heavily onto the sofa.

Elizabeth took his hand. "Did he give you trouble?"

"I finished the book, and he asked me to read it again, so I did. Then he asked for it again."

She shook her head and laughed. "That boy."

"And it's so hard to turn him down when he's looking at you with those big blue eyes saying, 'daddy 'gain.'"

"He definitely inherited the Coulter charm. He knows just how to get what he wants."

"Lorelei got the Coulter charm, too. She _may _have convinced me to give her an extra scoop of ice cream."

"Jack! No wonder she was still so wired when we sent her home."

He chuckled and leaned against the back of the sofa. "Well, at least now I understand why you want to wait a year or two before we add another baby to the mix."

"And see, I was thinking maybe we start trying a little sooner than I initially said."

"Really?" He raised his eyebrows. "How much sooner are we talking?"

"Still not right away. Maybe August or September."

"August or September? Seems a little random. Why then?"

"That's around our six-month anniversary and Micah's second birthday. Even if we got pregnant right away—which I'm not expecting to happen—that would ensure the baby would be born after our first anniversary, and there would be at least a two-and-a-half or three-year age gap between the baby and Micah, which I think is a decent gap."

"Sounds like you've been thinking a lot about this. More than just tonight." He nudged her with his elbow.

She smiled, looking a bit guilty. "You caught me. I just see you with Micah, and I remember how good you were with him when he was a newborn, and then seeing you with Leo tonight. I want that again. I want you to be with me every step of the way, from the very beginning this time."

He took her hand, pulling her onto his lap. "So, four months and then we start trying?"

She nodded, kissing him softly. "If you're okay with that."

He grinned. "I can't wait."

"You know, in the meantime, we can get a lot of practice in."

"More babysitting?"

She laughed softly, snaking her arms around his neck. "I wasn't talking about practicing for that part."

"Oh!"

She nodded, standing up and pulling him with her.

"Goodness, I love you."

...

Jack sighed and sank down on the bed. "Two more weeks and the semester is over."

"Bad day?"

"Just long. This is the time of the semester where I have students sending me frantic emails and coming to my office asking if there's any way for them to bump their grades."

"Hm, I wonder what that's like."

He chuckled, putting an arm around her. "Of course you wouldn't know, because you were such an overachiever in school."

"Look who's talking, Mr. PhD."

"Gosh, we were such nerds. Patrick and Lee and Rosie, too."

"_Were_? You're still a nerd, professor."

"Hey!" He nudged her.

"A nerd that I love very much," she added, dropping a kiss on his cheek.

He groaned.

"What?"

"I just remembered I'm teaching an intersession class."

She laughed. "How could you forget that?"

"I don't know. Don't get me wrong, I love teaching, but wow, I can't wait for July."

"Our first big family vacation. I'm looking forward to it, too."

"I got our flights and our vacation rentals booked. We're staying in Stirling when we're in Scotland, Coleraine when we're in Northern Ireland, and Roscommon when we're in Ireland."

"Have you been to any of those places before?"

"I've been to Stirling. It's relatively close to halfway between Edinburgh and Glasgow. And I've driven by Roscommon. I've never been to Northern Ireland, though."

She snuggled up against him. "You better be a very good tour guide."

"Oh, I'm the best." He kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Beth."


	27. Chapter 27

Jack stood up, stretching his legs. "I'm going to try to find a snack. Do you want anything?"

"Maybe some fruit if you can find it, and some cheese crackers for Micah."

"Fruit, cheese crackers. Got it." He put his phone in his pocket. "Send me a text if you think of anything else."

"Daddy." Micah reached for him.

"Do you want to come with me, little man?" He lifted him from the chair. "Let's go see what kind of trouble we can get into."

Elizabeth held up a backpack. "Can you change his diaper while you're at it?"

"Sure." He slung the bag over his shoulder. "Say 'see you in a bit, mama.'"

"See bit mama," Micah repeated.

She chuckled. "Have fun with daddy."

She settled back into her seat as they walked away from the gate. It had been a long day already, and they still had their longest flight ahead of them. Micah had—thankfully—been well-behaved for the first leg of their journey, but she wondered how he would fare being cooped up for almost seven more hours.

She dug around in her bag until she found her book. Ever since Jack had brought her a couple of books from Oxford, he had made it a habit to randomly gift her with books. For their trip, she had packed the copies of _Wuthering Heights_ and _Brave New World _that he had given her a couple of weeks before.

She flipped open _Brave New World_, getting so lost in the pages that she didn't hear Jack come back with Micah.

"Mama." Micah climbed onto her lap, startling her for a moment.

"That's a good book, huh?" Jack chuckled, taking a seat beside her. "I called your name a couple times."

"Sorry." She closed the book and set it aside, reaching for the cup of fruit he held out for her.

"Don't apologize." He smiled, draping his arm around her shoulders. "I've known you long enough to know you're in your own little world when you have a book in your hands. And speaking of books…" He handed her a small bag.

She peered inside; it held a copy of _Northanger Abbey_.

"Jack Thornton. At the rate you keep giving me books, we're going to run out of room in our house, and we won't have any space for new babies."

He shrugged. "Then we'll just have to add another room to the house."

She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Incorrigible."

...

After a relatively uneventful flight—Micah didn't sleep as much as they had hoped, but he had stayed quiet as they distracted him with various movies on the screen in front of his seat—their plane landed in Dublin. They went through customs and retrieved their luggage before piling into a rental car.

Elizabeth stared out the window, eyes wide, as they left the city behind and found themselves surrounded by lush, green countryside.

"It's so beautiful. I can see why you love it over here."

He reached across the center console and squeezed her hand. "I'm so happy I get to share it with you." He glanced at the car seat in the rearview mirror. "And little man, of course."

Elizabeth turned around to check on Micah. "He's out. I hope you're ready for cranky jet-lagged Micah."

"Is he better or worse than cranky jet-lagged Elizabeth?"

"Ha ha." She rolled her eyes. "Believe it or not, I'm actually pretty good at combatting jet lag. Now, when we get back home, it'll be a different story."

"It is always worse going home. All the adrenaline is gone."

"I really do wonder how Micah is going to handle the time difference."

He glanced in the rearview mirror again. "If we can get him to sleep well tonight, he should be fine for the rest of the trip."

"We'll see if that happens." She looked out the window. "What's the plan for the rest of the day once we get to the house?"

"Walk around town, find somewhere to have dinner, relax. I really don't have too many concrete plans for this trip. There are places I want to take you, but nothing is set in stone."

"What kind of places?"

He turned down a narrow road and slowed the car. "The Cliffs of Moher is the main place I want to go while we're here. There are a few places on the far north coast I'd like to visit when we're staying in Coleraine, mainly Giant's Causeway and Carrickarede Island."

"And in Scotland?"

"Lots of castles, a cool bridge and steam train up in the Highlands. And let me know if there are any specific places you want to see."

She smiled. "I think there's a castle where they filmed a few episodes of _Downton Abbey_ up in northern England. I'll look up how far it is from Stirling."

"Is it Alnwick? They filmed some _Harry Potter _there, too, so I was already looking at maybe visiting there. Opal would love to see some pictures."

"Perfect."

...

Elizabeth nervously looked on as Jack helped Micah walk closer to the edge of the cliff. "Jack, whatever you do, don't let go of him."

"I won't." He picked up the little boy and set him on his shoulders. "What do you think, little man? This is your first time really seeing the ocean. And you know what? Our house is way on the other side of this ocean."

Micah stared out at the water crashing against the cliffs, his nose and cheeks turning pink from the wind. Jack pointed out various caves and rock formations emerging from the water and a stone tower looking out over the cliffs.

Despite her anxiety about them being so close to the edge, Elizabeth couldn't help but smile at the sight of her two favorite guys. She snapped a photo of them, capturing the moment forever.

"What are you smiling about over there?" Jack had turned to look at her.

"Just how cute you two are. I know I've said it before, but we're lucky to have you."

He walked over and kissed her softly, sending Micah into a fit of giggles. "Oh, you think that's funny, little man?" He lifted him off his shoulders and smothered him in kisses.

"Daddy!" He laughed even harder.

Elizabeth chuckled. "I love you both so much."

...

Elizabeth followed Jack down the path. "Jack, how high up is this rope bridge?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Jack, please tell me."

He paused and turned to face her. "It's about a hundred feet up."

"What?! A hundred feet?!"

"It's fine, Elizabeth, I promise. Thousands of people cross it every year."

"I don't know about this."

"Here, how about we walk out there, and then if you don't want to cross, you don't have to? I'm sure you wouldn't be the only one not crossing."

She took a deep breath. "Okay."

Micah babbled quietly as they continued down the path. Jack spoke to him about the blue water and the birds flying around them. Before long, they approached the bridge.

Elizabeth's steps faltered.

Jack looked at her expectantly. "Yes or no?"

"As terrified as I am, we came all this way. I might as well do it."

"Okay. Do you want go in front of me or behind me?"

Elizabeth looked out at the bridge and wavered a bit. "Behind, I think."

"Hey, this is perfectly safe. Look at all those people who have gone across just fine." He pointed across the way, where a group of people was waiting to return.

"I know. It's just…really high up."

"Don't look down. Just hold on tight and keep your eyes on me."

She nodded and took a deep breath as they descended the steps to the bridge. It swayed a bit as they crossed, but it was sturdier than she expected.

Micah was in a carrier on Jack's back; he leaned his head against Jack's shoulder. Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief when her feet were on solid ground again.

Jack kissed her cheek. "You did it."

"I did it. Now I'm just ignoring the fact that we have to cross it again to get back."

He chuckled. "Come on, let's go explore."

They meandered around the tiny island, taking photos of the scenery and each other.

"Okay, this was worth it. It's gorgeous out here." Elizabeth glanced out over the water at the white cliffs, watching the birds swooping through the air below them. "What do you think, Micah?"

"Bird!" He pointed at one that flew near them.

"That's right, little man. I think that was a puffin. Can you say puffin?"

"Pup-in!"

Jack laughed. "Good job, bud."

"Pup-in pup-in pup-in."

"You like those puffins, huh?"

"I wonder what he'll think when we go to Giant's Causeway later. Do you want to see some cool rocks, little man?"

"Wock?"

"Yeah, rocks."

Later that afternoon, they learned that Micah _loved _the 'wocks.' He wasn't content to be kept in the carrier, and he insisted on climbing the rock formations on his own.

Once again, Elizabeth looked on nervously, though Jack assured her he was right there to catch Micah if he started to fall.

Micah was giggling as he crawled up the clusters of rock columns.

"So what exactly is it that makes the rocks shaped like that again?"

"They're made of hardened lava, and something about the way the lava originally cooled made it crack into hexagons."

"Nature is just so amazing." She stared down at the rocks beneath her feet. "Thank you for bringing us here."

"Why don't we go climb that bit over there?" He pointed at some rock columns that stood taller than those surrounding them.

"Okay, but Micah has to hold one of our hands for that one."

He scooped Micah up, and he promptly started whining.

"No, daddy."

"We aren't leaving yet, bud. We're just going over to some other rocks."

"Oh, little bug, you're a mess." Elizabeth chuckled when she noticed the dirt and water all over his clothes. "You're going to need a bath when we get back."

...

Elizabeth reclined on the bed, running her fingers through Micah's damp hair as he dozed on her chest.

"Have you packed yet?" Jack came in the room, carrying a glass of water.

"No. I've been busy." She nodded toward Micah. "Don't we have time to pack in the morning? Our flight isn't that early."

"We'll have some time, but don't forget it's about an hour back to the airport." He settled on the bed beside her. "Are you excited to see Scotland?"

She smiled and nodded. "So excited. This trip has been wonderful so far, Jack. I'm really glad you suggested it."

"Well, I'm glad you're enjoying it. I figured it'd be nice to have some time away from home, just the three of us, and who knows when we'll be able to make a trip like this again?"

"What do you mean?" She got up and laid Micah in the portable crib.

"Just logistically, it's tough enough traveling with a toddler, so can you imagine how much more difficult it will be for us to travel when we have another baby?"

"I guess that's a good point." She sighed. "Are you sure you're ready for us to start trying in a month? We can wait longer."

"Elizabeth." He took her hand and pulled her back down on the bed. "I want a baby whenever you're ready. I realize there are some things we might have to give up for a while—like big trips like this—but a _baby_? One that's a little bit of both of us? That's better than all the trips we could ever take."

"Jack…" She rolled onto her side and kissed him. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He kissed her again. "I think I'm going to take a shower now. Care to join me?"

She smiled. "I'd love to."

...

They spent the next day traveling to their final vacation home in Stirling. After an afternoon of relaxing and a delicious dinner at a local pub, they were ready to start exploring again in earnest the following day.

"I hope you're ready to get your fill of castles today." Jack pulled out of the driveway of the little house.

"How many are we visiting?"

"Three, if we have time. Stirling, Doune, and Edinburgh."

"Three in one day?"

"Stirling is just right up there," he pointed toward a castle standing in the distance, "and Doune is just about fifteen minutes away. Edinburgh is about an hour from here. We should have plenty of time."

As they approached the castle, they noticed a few signs up stating that it was closed to tours due to a private event.

"Well, that's unfortunate."

Jack shrugged. "More time to spend at the other castles, I guess. Off to Doune we go."

They spent the morning exploring the fourteenth century castle, wandering through the courtyard and the dark, stone rooms, and listening to descriptions of each room through the headphones they were given at the castle entrance.

Micah especially loved peering through the narrow windows facing the surrounding countryside and wooded areas. When he started to get a little fussy, they returned to the courtyard, letting him have a snack and walk around for a while.

"So, Edinburgh next?"

"Mhmm." Jack handed Micah another cracker. "I figured we can either stop for lunch somewhere on our way there, or we can wait until we actually get to the city."

"Maybe on the way there. I'm getting hungry."

"Okay."

A few hours later, they found themselves in another castle, this time in Edinburgh. The fortress sat on a hill, looking out at the city.

They had wandered through the various rooms in the castle, getting a chance to see war artifacts, the Scottish Crown Jewels, and the Stone of Scone, among other things.

"You can see so much from up here." Elizabeth stood next to a half wall, staring out at Edinburgh. It seemed like she could see the entire city from the castle.

"It really is something, huh?" He slipped an arm around her waist. "You know, I've been here before, but it's so much better being here with you and Micah." He kissed her temple.

She nudged him playfully. "You're such a sweet talker, Jack Thornton."

He gave her a crooked grin. "That's why you married me."

...

Elizabeth scrolled through her phone while she waited for Jack to get out of the shower. He emerged after a few minutes, his hair dripping and his face flushed from the heat.

"Hon, you'll never guess why Stirling Castle was closed today."

"Why?" He ran a towel over his hair.

"The Queen was there."

"The Queen? Of England?"

She nodded. "Apparently this is the time of year she comes up to Scotland. And you know when we walked by Holyrood Palace? That's where she stays while she's here."

"That's crazy."

"It'll be a fun story to tell people. 'Yeah, we were going to visit Stirling Castle, but the Queen was there.'"

He chuckled and took a seat on the bed beside her. "What do you want to do tomorrow?"

She set her phone on the nightstand. "What are the options again?"

"Well, we can just hang out around here, or if you and Micah are willing to be in a car for a little while, or there's the bridge up in the Highlands I had mentioned, or Alnwick Castle."

"We have two more full days. Can we do the bridge and that castle?"

"If you're up for it, yeah. If we want to see the steam train, we have to be there at a particular time, so we need to stick to a schedule for that."

"Okay. Let me know what time, and I'll make sure to have everything ready."

The next day, they stood on a little overlook nestled among some trees, glancing out at the Glenfinnan Viaduct.

"Keep watching, Micah. There'll be a train go across that bridge any minute." Jack pointed. "Can you say train?"

"Twain!"

He squealed with delight when the black and red train came into view, blowing steam into the air as it chugged along the viaduct.

"That's a special train, Micah. See it's blowing steam out of the engine? The steam is what helps it move."

"He's going to be the smartest kid in daycare when we get back." Elizabeth chuckled. "He's learned about birds and geology and castles and trains."

"I'm pretty sure he was already the smartest kid in daycare."

"You're just biased."

He grinned. "Maybe a little."

"Daddy!" Micah pointed at the train as it rounded the curve.

"Yeah, bud. It's still chugging along."

...

Elizabeth shifted Micah in her arms. "Are you ready to go back home tomorrow, little bug?"

"Home?"

"Yeah, home. With Opal and Lorelei and Leo."

"Don't forget Luna."

"Dog! Woof!"

Jack chuckled. "I think he likes Luna more than he likes us."

"I have to agree with you there."

"Mama!" Micah pointed as the castle came into view. "Cattle."

She laughed at his sweet little mispronunciation. "Another castle, yeah. You've seen lots of castles now, Micah."

"This one is called Alnwick."

"It looks just like it did in _Downton Abbey_. Sometime, we'll have to come back to England and visit the place where most of the show was filmed. I think it's down south, though."

"Maybe for an anniversary trip?" Jack put his arm around her as they approached the castle entrance. "We could visit London and Oxford, too."

"It's a plan." She grinned.

As they had many times over the previous days, they spent a few hours wandering the castle grounds. Jack pointed out spots that were familiar to him from the _Harry Potter _movies that he had watched with Opal, and Elizabeth pointed out the rooms she recognized from _Downton Abbey_.

Micah had a blast traipsing through the green grass of the courtyard and watching children play with broomsticks.

At the end of the day, they took their time getting back to the car. Micah was fast asleep in Jack's arms, worn out by the day's events.

Jack sighed. "I miss home, and I know I'll be happy to be back, but part of me doesn't want to leave tomorrow."

"I know exactly what you mean." She put a hand on his back, rubbing gently. "But it'll be good to get back in our routine. Plus," she lowered her voice, "getting home brings us one step closer to trying for another baby."

He smiled. "I can't wait. I love you, Beth."

"I love you, too, professor."


	28. Chapter 28

A/N Thanks everyone for following along with this story for an entire year now!

...

"It smells great in here."

She turned away from the stove. "Blueberry pancakes."

"Oh yeah, the traditional Thatcher birthday breakfast." He kissed her cheek. "Is everything ready for little man's party this weekend?"

"I think so. My parents are flying down Friday afternoon. Julie and Vi can't make it again this year."

"That's a bummer."

She shrugged. "Vi couldn't get off work, and Liam has some doctor appointments that Julie said can't be rescheduled. It's okay, though. We'll see them at Christmas, and they've both promised to FaceTime today so they can tell Micah happy birthday and he can see his cousins."

"Speaking of his cousins, we're still on for dinner with Lee and Rosie and the kids tonight, right?"

She nodded. "They'll be here at six. Rosemary is bringing some cupcakes."

"Is there anything I can do? I can help with dinner or something. You've been doing so much lately."

"I'm fine." She added more pancakes to the plate on the counter as they finished cooking.

"Are you sure? It seems like you've been really tired the past few days."

"Of course, I'm tired. My caseload at work has gotten bigger, and then I come home and chase a toddler around, and then we have his birthday party on top of everything."

"Elizabeth, love, maybe you should take a step back from something here."

"I can't turn down clients, Jack, and I can't pawn Micah off on someone else. His party will be over this weekend, and then I'll be fine."

He put his hand on the small of her back. "I'm just worried about you. You don't seem like yourself."

"Well, like you said, I'm overworked. There's not anything I can do about that right now. I'll talk to my supervisor, if that'll make you feel better."

"Okay, and what if I ask my mom to come down here early? Marie and Leland, too. I'm sure they'd all be more than willing to help out with the party. They can help with setting things up and making snacks and everything."

"Fine. If you want to ask. Make sure they know this wasn't my idea, though."

"Elizabeth…"

"Mama!" Micah called out from his room.

"I'll get him." Jack left before she could protest. He found Micah in his crib, attempting to scale the side of it. "Stop right there, birthday boy."

He looked up at Jack and grinned. "Daddy!"

"You need to stop trying to climb out of your crib, little man." Jack lifted him out of the crib. "Let's go see mama. I think she has a special birthday breakfast ready for you."

...

Jack turned when he heard Elizabeth step into the kitchen. "Stop."

"Oh, come on."

"No. You aren't allowed in here tonight. You need a break. Go sit in the living room, turn on the TV, relax. I have dinner covered, and Rosie and Lee can help you with Micah."

"Jack."

"Elizabeth." He stared her down.

"Fine," she grumbled.

"Love you!" he called after her as she left the room.

"He kicked you out?" Rosemary looked up when Elizabeth returned.

She nodded, sinking down onto the sofa.

Lee excused himself to join Jack in the kitchen, leaving Elizabeth and Rosemary alone with the kids. Lorelei was occupied by whatever movie was on the TV, and Micah and Leo were busy playing with a tub full of plastic animals, so Elizabeth took the opportunity to talk with Rosemary.

"I guess I've been a little run down lately, and he's worried about me doing too much."

"Should we be worried about you?"

"You can't team up with him, too! I'm just fine, Rosemary. Work is a little crazy, and I've been busy here with Micah's birthday and his party and everything, but it's fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! I'm sure." She sighed, frustrated by everything. "I've talked to my supervisor about the work stuff, and Jack insisted on asking Charlotte _and _Marie and Leland to come down early this weekend so they can help with the party."

"Good. You should know better than any of us how important it is to take care of yourself."

"I know it's important. It's just hard to put into practice sometimes." She leaned back, crossing her arms in front of her. "I realize it would probably be good for me to step back from something, at least for a little while, but it's hard to give things up."

"Your six-month anniversary is coming up, right?"

Elizabeth nodded. "In a couple of weeks, yes."

"Why don't Lee and I take Micah one evening so you and Jack can have some time to yourselves?"

"Rosie, I couldn't ask you—"

She put a hand up, cutting her off. "You didn't ask. I'm offering. Besides, you two watched Lorelei and Leo for us on our anniversary, so it's time we pay you back for that."

"I guess it would be nice to have some time with just the two of us. We haven't had that since our honeymoon."

"It's settled, then. Just let us know exactly what day."

"Thank you, Rosemary."

"And for future reference, we'll be happy to babysit any other children you might happen to have, too." She gave her a wink, and Elizabeth blushed. "What?"

"Um, we actually are going to start trying once things settle down with Micah's birthday and everything."

"Elizabeth!"

All three kids turned, startled by the outburst.

"Shh." She laughed, reaching for Micah when he approached her. "I'm not expecting anything to happen right away—especially since I've been so stressed—but we figured why not?"

"That's so exciting! You have to tell me as soon as there's something to know."

"Jack gets to know first, but of course I'll let you know."

...

Elizabeth stood on the back porch, watching chaos unfold in the yard. Luna was barking as Lorelei chased her around. Opal and Philip were busy blowing bubbles; Micah and Leo were toddling around, laughing and trying to pop the bubbles.

Faith stood with Sarah and Rosemary, holding a squirmy one-and-a-half-year-old Ezra in her arms. Sarah rubbed her belly, now nearly full-term with what Opal still insisted was her baby brother, despite the fact that they were keeping the gender a surprise until the baby was born.

Jack was across the yard, talking with Charlotte; Tom, Shane, and Lee stood nearby, sipping on their drinks. Grace and William were getting the cake ready with Leland's help, situating it in front of what would be Micah's chair.

Marie came over and put an arm around Elizabeth. "It's really amazing, huh? All of these people gathered here because of one very special little boy."

"It's wonderful." Elizabeth gave a sad smile. "Days like this really make me miss Patrick, though."

"He'd be so proud. His son is beautiful and smart and healthy, and he has so much love in his life."

"That's all very true." She nodded.

"I know Leland and I weren't as accepting as we could have been when you and Jack first got together, but I want you to know that we really are happy for you. You and Jack are doing a great job raising Micah, and we're glad he still gets to have a father in his life."

"Thank you, Marie. That means a lot." She smiled as she watched Jack walk over and scoop up Micah. "He still knows who Patrick is, by the way. We'll show him a picture with Patrick and Jack in it, and he calls Patrick 'dad' and Jack 'daddy.' And you know that book Jack and Lee had made for him with all the pictures of Pat in it? He still asks for it as a bedtime story at least twice a week."

Marie smiled. "Patrick got fixated on books like that, too. So much, in fact, that the first time he read a book to us, Leland thought he had just memorized it from hearing it so much."

"Knowing Patrick, that sounds like a stunt he could've pulled." Elizabeth chuckled.

"What's so funny over here?" Jack approached them, Micah riding on his shoulders.

"Just talking about Patrick."

"I wish he could've been here." Jack kissed her forehead. "Now, I don't mean to break things up, but I think little man here is ready for his cake."

...

"Well, I'd say that was a successful birthday party." Jack settled onto the sofa beside Elizabeth.

She nodded, running her fingers through Micah's hair as he slept on her chest. "He needs a bath, but I don't want to wake him. He's worn out."

"Just bathe him in the morning. It's not going to hurt for him to sleep with some frosting in his hair for one night."

She laughed softly. "He's such a mess." Her face grew serious, and she sighed. "I can't believe he's already two. Time is just flying by."

"I know what you mean. It's like he changed from a baby into a little boy overnight. And do you realize in about a week and a half, it'll be six months since we got married? Where did that time go?"

"I have no idea." She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Jack, I just want to say thank you for doing so much with the party today. And for making me take time for myself this week. As much as I fought you on it, it was exactly what I needed."

"Good." He put his arm around her. "I know when you found out you were pregnant with Micah, you thought you'd be doing this all alone, but we're a team, Elizabeth, you and me."

She kissed him softly. "I have no idea what I did in my life to deserve the love of not one, but _two_ of the best men in the world."

...

The next week, Elizabeth sat at her desk, staring at the bulletin board on the wall. She had hung up a few pictures from their trip to Scotland and Ireland, and looking at them made her wish she was there again.

She sighed and reached for her phone, dialing Jack's number almost without thought.

"Beth? Is everything okay?"

"Why did we have to come back from Europe?"

He laughed softly. "You're really missing it today, huh?"

"Yes. It's been a rough day here."

"I'm sorry about that. Anything I can do to help?"

"Take me back to Scotland?"

"It's only been a month and a half since we were there. I guess I could make some haggis for dinner. Then it'll feel like you're back there."

"Ha ha. One bite of that was more than enough."

"In all seriousness, though, how about I order takeout for dinner so you don't have to cook? Maybe Chinese?"

"Make it Italian and I'm in."

"You got it, love. Well, I have a class in fifteen minutes, so I should get ready for that. I'll see you this afternoon."

"Okay. I love you, Jack."

"I love you, too."

After she hung up, she went back to gazing at the photographs. Her mind wandered, until it suddenly locked onto something Jack had said. She dropped her phone in her purse, locked her office door, and headed down the hall.

"Molly?" She poked her head into her supervisor's office. "I'm still on my lunch break, but I'm going to run an errand really quickly. It shouldn't take long, but I'll have my cell on me if anyone needs anything."

"Is everything okay, Elizabeth? You seem a little…distracted."

"I'm fine. Just have some things on my mind. Nothing serious, though."

"Okay. Well, I'm here if you need to talk."

"I know. Thank you, Molly."

...

Elizabeth rinsed out her mouth and clicked off the light in the bathroom, closing the door quietly behind her.

"Beth?" Jack rolled over to face her, his eyes seeming to glow in the moonlight. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine." She slipped back into the bed. "Just a little sick to my stomach, but I'll be okay."

"You sure? You barely touched your dinner tonight, and you normally love pasta."

She nodded. "I really am fine, Jack. I was hoping you wouldn't notice I've been under the weather, because I wasn't going to give you this for a few more days," she flicked on the lamp and pulled a small package from the drawer in her nightstand, "but I guess now is a good time, too."

He looked at her curiously before he lifted the lid from the box. He froze when he saw what it contained.

A smile tugged at her lips. "Happy almost-six-month anniversary, Jack."

"What…?" He took the little plastic stick out of the box, staring at it with wide eyes. "But we just started trying… You can't be… Uh, h-how? When?"

"The trip to Scotland and Ireland. Remember those nights when Micah went to bed extra early? I guess I missed a pill or two that week, and I didn't think anything of it at the time. I blame it on the time difference."

"All it takes is missing a couple of pills?"

She nodded. "If they're missed at the right time."

"Wait. So we're really having a baby?"

"Yes." She pulled his hand to her stomach. "We're really having a baby."

"We're having a baby!" He grinned and pulled her to his chest, kissing her soundly. He slipped his hand under her shirt, resting it on her bare stomach. "I can't believe it. Our baby is in there. When are you due?"

"Based on my calculations, next spring, mid-April, I think. We'll have a more concrete date after the first ultrasound."

"When is that? I want to make sure I can be there."

She put her hand on top of his. "I haven't scheduled it yet. I'm going to call my doctor tomorrow and try to get something in the next week or two"

"Just let me know when, and I'll be there." He smiled and kissed her again. "I love you, Beth."

"I love you, too."

He rolled onto his side, resting his head in his hand. "How long have you known?"

"Just a few hours."

"You just found out today?"

She nodded. "I think it's been an idea in the back of my mind for a few days, but it wasn't until I called you earlier that it clicked. You mentioned that it's been a month and a half since the trip, and I realized I missed my cycle last month. With that on top of the exhaustion I've been feeling, and the nausea, it suddenly made sense."

"So you didn't know when we talked earlier?"

"No. I went out and got the test on my lunch break—right after we talked on the phone—and then I took it as soon as I got home."

"Oh, so _that's _why you took so long to get changed out of your work clothes today."

She chuckled. "Changing only took two minutes. The rest of the time, I was waiting for the test results."

"I wonder what Micah is going to think about being a big brother."

"I don't know, but," she covered her mouth as she yawned, "can we wait until later to find out? Growing a baby is exhausting."

"Of course. You need your rest." He kissed her, grinning as he pulled away. "Good night, Beth."

"Good night, Jack."

He put his hand back on her stomach. "Night, baby."

...

"Micah, do you know where we're going?" Jack glanced in the rearview mirror at Micah.

"Eat?"

He chuckled. "We'll eat after, but first, we're going to the doctor. Mama has a baby in her belly, and we're going to see some pictures of the baby today. Isn't that fun?"

"Baby?"

Elizabeth smiled and rested a hand on her belly. "Yeah, little bug. You're going to have a little brother or sister. What do you think about that, Micah? You're going to be a big brother."

"Brudder?"

"That's right, little man." Jack grinned, reaching over to take Elizabeth's hand. "Can you believe we're going to have another one of those?"

"I can't wait."

...

Jack settled into the chair beside the exam table, situating Micah in his lap.

"Is this big brother? He's adorable."

Jack nodded and smiled. "This is Micah. Micah, can you say 'hi'?"

"Hi."

"Hello, Micah. What do you say we get a look at your little brother or sister?"

Elizabeth reclined on the exam table, tucking her arm beneath her head.

Jack's eyes were filled with excitement as he stared at the blank screen. Though he had been around for Elizabeth throughout her pregnancy with Micah, he hadn't experienced everything. And he had to admit, though he loved Micah as if he were his own, it was thrilling to know the baby Elizabeth was carrying now actually _was_ his in every way.

A fuzzy image appeared on the screen, and after a few moments, they were looking at their…

"Are there two of them?" Elizabeth asked, eyes wide.

"It would appear so. If you can see, this one is sideways, so this is the head, and there's an arm and a leg right here." The technician pointed at the screen as she explained everything, "And this one is facing away from us, so we're looking at baby's back right there." She clicked a few buttons, and the swooshing sound of two fast heartbeats filled the room. "And those are two very strong heartbeats."

Jack reached out and took Elizabeth's hand, squeezing her fingers gently. She turned to look at him, tears in her eyes and a smile on her face.

"Do you see that, bud?" Jack pointed toward the screen. "Those are your brothers or sisters."

"Brudder sister."

"That's right, little man."

...

Jack buckled his seatbelt but made no move to turn on the car.

"Jack? Are you okay?" Elizabeth placed a hand on his arm.

"Yeah, I just…" He turned to meet her gaze. "Twins. I just wrapped my mind around the fact that we're having a baby, and now it's _two _babies."

"I knew I was a little bigger than I was at this point in my pregnancy with Micah, but I thought that was just because it's a second pregnancy. I never guessed it would be twins." She rested a hand on her stomach, feeling the little bump that had appeared in the week since she took the test. "We can do this, Jack. We'll be fine."

"I know, it's just…"

"A lot."

He nodded.

She reached for his hand, placing it on her stomach. "Just take a breath. These are our babies."

He took a deep breath, flexing his fingers on her belly. "Our babies," he whispered.

"Mama? Daddy?" Micah spoke up from the back seat. "Go eat?"

Elizabeth chuckled. "Yes, little bug. We're going to eat now." She touched her hand to Jack's cheek. "Let's go. Micah and the babies need to eat."


	29. Chapter 29

Jack stood across the room, staring at the ultrasound photo in his hands.

"Honey, come to bed." Elizabeth held out one hand toward him, patting the bed with her other hand. "It's late."

"I just can't stop looking at them."

"You can bring the picture with you. Plus, they're right here." She lifted her shirt a bit, pointing at her stomach. "Come talk to them."

He set the picture on his nightstand and slipped into the bed beside her. "What should I say?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "Whatever you want. They won't be able to really understand you until they're born, anyway. Just get them used to your voice."

With his hands on either side of her stomach, he leaned in close. "Hi, babies." He chuckled. "That's still crazy to say. We just found out there are two of you in there today, and we're still getting used to the idea. Anyway, I'm your daddy. Obviously you know your mama already, since you're growing inside of her and everything. We can't wait to meet you both. You're going to be born into a fun family, but sometimes it can get loud when everyone's together, so I hope you take these next seven months to prepare yourselves. You two have a big brother named Micah, and we have a dog named Luna. Then you have lots of aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents. I won't list them all now, but you'll meet them all eventually. They're all going to love you two."

"Speaking of aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents, we need to tell them sometime."

"When?" Jack looked up at her, tracing his fingers across her stomach.

"Soon. I'm not going to be able to hide it much longer since there are two of them in there." She placed her hand beside his. "I was about this far along when I told everyone about Micah."

"How about we call our parents and your sisters tomorrow? We can tell Lee and Rosie in person when we see them tomorrow evening, and then we can tell Tom and Sarah the next time we see them."

"Should we call Leland and Marie, too?"

"I think we should. They should find out from us and not from someone else."

"Okay." She took his hand. "I was thinking, what if we keep the twin thing just between us for a little while longer? Just tell everyone I'm pregnant, but not mention there are two babies."

"That's fine with me." He leaned back down toward her stomach. "Okay, babies. It's bedtime now. You behave in there and let your mama get some sleep."

Elizabeth chuckled. "They aren't quite big enough to keep me up at night yet."

"Well, it's not too soon for them to learn." He scooted back up in the bed and kissed her softly. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Good night."

...

Jack sat down on the sofa, his phone in his hand. "Who are we calling first? Your parents or my mom?"

"Hang on." She clenched her teeth and hurried off to the bathroom.

Jack sighed and picked up Micah, heading to the kitchen to grab some crackers and ginger ale for her. Elizabeth's morning sickness seemed to get worse each day, and he hated seeing how miserable it made her.

"Poor mama." Jack set Micah back on the living room floor with his toys. "She's not feeling well, huh?"

"Mama sick."

"That's right, little man. We'll hope she feels better soon."

She returned to the living room after a few minutes, sinking down onto the sofa. "Thank you," she said when he handed her the crackers and ginger ale.

"Are you sure it's normal for you to be getting sick this much?"

"It's not _abnormal_. I read that symptoms can be exaggerated with twins."

"I just hate seeing you feel so bad."

She shrugged, taking a sip of the soda. "I'll talk to my doctor about it at my next appointment, but it won't last forever. Besides, anything is worth it as long as our babies stay safe and healthy in there a while longer."

He put his arm around her, kissing her temple. "Thank you for carrying them. You're amazing, Elizabeth."

"I'm not anything special."

"You're special to me."

She wiped a tear from her cheek. "You can't say things like that to me when I'm all hormonal. Now I'm all weepy and our parents are going to think something is up."

He laughed softly and kissed her. "Sorry, but it's the truth."

She sniffled and wiped her eyes, trying to compose herself. "Anyway. My parents first?"

"Sure. Oh wait, just one second." He disappeared into their bedroom for a moment, emerging shortly after with an ultrasound photo in his hand. "So we can show them a picture."

"But all the ultrasound pictures have both babies in them, and I thought we were keeping the twin thing a secret for now."

"Don't worry, I thought about that. It's an easy fix. I just cover up one baby when I hold it up." He strategically placed his fingers over one of the babies and held it up. "See? And suddenly, there's only one. Besides," he continued, "how well are they going to be able to see this on a tiny phone screen?"

"Okay, you have a point. Do I look okay now? Can you tell I was just crying?"

"You look beautiful." He kissed her softly.

"Ready?"

Jack nodded, and Elizabeth pulled up her mother's contact information on her phone. A few seconds later, Grace's face appeared on the screen.

"Hello, sweetheart."

"Hi, mom. Is dad there?"

"Yes, he is."

"Could you get him, please?"

"Of course." She turned away from the screen and called him over.

"Hi, Elizabeth. We didn't expect to hear from you today. Is everything okay?" William looked concerned.

"Everything's fine. Jack and I just have some news to share." She turned to him and nodded.

He held up the ultrasound photo but said nothing.

Grace gasped. "You're pregnant?!"

Elizabeth grinned and nodded. "Yes. Due in April."

"Sweetheart, that's wonderful!"

"Congratulations, you two."

"Thank you."

"I guess that means this Christmas, we need to figure out where to move all the stockings so they fit."

Elizabeth chuckled. "That mantle _was_ very crowded last Christmas."

Grace sighed wistfully. "I love that you girls keep giving us grandbabies. I absolutely love being a grandma, so please keep them coming!"

They spoke with Elizabeth's parents for a few more minutes—letting Micah speak to them for a bit, too—before calling Charlotte. She was just as ecstatic as Grace and William. Leland and Marie were glad to hear the news directly from Elizabeth and Jack, and they were happy to be nana and papa Coulter to any of Micah's siblings.

Jack set the phone down. "Well, that all went well."

Elizabeth nodded and yawned. "But I'm exhausted now."

"Calling our parents made you tired?"

"No, growing _two _of your children is making me tired."

He chuckled. "So they're mine when they're causing trouble?"

"Obviously. It's the Thornton genes in them that make them ornery."

Jack rolled his eyes playfully. "Yeah, yeah. Well," he rubbed her back, "why don't you go take a nap? We can wait to call your sisters later."

She nodded. "Okay."

"Mama seep?"

"Here, little bug." Elizabeth scooped him up. "You want to take a nap, too? You can lay in the big bed with me."

He nodded, leaning his head against her shoulder.

Jack gave them each a kiss on the cheek. "Enjoy your nap."

Once he was sure they were asleep, Jack got in his car and headed across town. The sun was high in the sky over the gravestones as he walked around the cemetery.

"Hey, Patrick." He stepped up to the grave. "It's been a while, huh? I don't know how often Elizabeth comes to talk to you, but a lot has happened for us lately, and I thought you should know. We got married six months ago, and she's two months pregnant now—with twins—which was a bit of a shock to both of us." He stuck his hands in his pockets. "Anyway, that means Micah's going to be a big brother. I'm sure he'll be a great one. He just turned two a few weeks ago, which is crazy. He's growing up way too fast. He's so much like you, Patrick. He still looks like a clone of you, and he's a stubborn little guy. He's so smart and loving and confident. You would be so proud of him." He shook his head. "I can't believe you've been gone for two and a half years now. We all still miss you, Pat."

He stayed by the grave a while longer, pulling up the weeds that had grown around the stone and straightening the bouquet of flowers that sat there.

...

Elizabeth passed Micah to Rosemary. "Thank you again for offering to watch him."

"Of course. Now you just go and have a wonderful evening with Jack."

She smiled. "I will." She returned to the car, where Jack was waiting. "Okay, let's go."

Instead of pulling out of the driveway, he just stared at her, a smile playing on his lips.

"What's that look for?"

"You look so beautiful, Elizabeth."

"Thank you." She blushed and tugged on her dress. "Now, I don't mean to be demanding, but I _am _carrying two of your babies, and they need to eat."

He chuckled. "Fine. I'll admire you later."

They pulled up in front of the little Italian restaurant, and Elizabeth smiled. "Are you recreating our first date?"

"Maybe."

"Well, then I guess it's a good thing I wore the same outfit I wore that evening." She motioned toward the burgundy dress and brown boots.

"I guess it is."

"Do I have to order the same thing I had then?"

"No."

"Good, because I'm craving something spicy."

"Well then," he stepped around the car and held out his hand for her, "shall we?"

"We shall."

He kissed her softly before leading her into the restaurant.

...

"I'm too full to go get him," Elizabeth groaned.

"You have to come with me."

"But why?"

"Do you really want me to be the one to break the news to them about the babies?"

She sighed. "Fine, I'll go, too. Only because I'm worried you'll mention it's twins."

"I love you." He leaned across the center console to kiss her.

Jack knocked on the door, slowly dragging his fingers along Elizabeth's stomach.

"You're really starting to show."

"Don't get too excited. That's mostly pasta."

Jack dropped his hand when the door opened.

"Hey, guys. Come on in. Rosie's just getting the last of his things together."

They followed Lee into the house.

"Auntie Lizbeth!" Lorelei ran over and wrapped her arms around Elizabeth's legs.

"Hi, sweetheart. Did you help your mama take care of Micah tonight?"

"Yes." She nodded emphatically. "We played with blocks. I helped him build a big tower!"

"That's great."

"Mama!" Micah squealed when Rosemary carried him into the room. "Daddy!"

Jack took him from Rosemary, settling him on his shoulders.

"Was he good?"

"He was a little angel, as always." She handed the diaper bag to Elizabeth.

"Thanks for watching him, you guys."

"You know he's welcome here anytime."

"So, um, before we go, we do have some news." Elizabeth lifted the bag onto her shoulder. "Micah is going to be a big brother."

"You're having a baby?!"

"Mhmm." Elizabeth nodded, smoothing her hand over the little swell of her belly. "Due the second week of April."

"That's wonderful!"

...

"Little man is asleep."

"Did he go down fine?"

"Yeah. They must've really worn him out over at the Coulter house." Jack approached her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Gosh, you're beautiful."

"You've already said that tonight. Multiple times."

"And it's still true." He brushed his lips across her neck. "I can't believe it's been six months since we got married."

"Me neither." She turned to face him, kissing him soundly.

"May I have this dance?" He held out his hand.

She slipped her fingers into his. They turned slowly around the bedroom, her head leaning against his chest.

"I love you."

She took a step back and started undoing the buttons on his shirt. "Show me."

...

Jack put down his phone. "That was Tom. They're going to take Sarah back for an emergency C-section."

"Oh no. What happened?"

Jack shrugged. "I'm not sure. He didn't say anything else, just that he would call back when there's more news."

"Uncle Jack?" Opal wandered into the room. "Is my brother here yet?"

"Not yet, sweet pea." He lifted her to his shoulders. "How about we go get some ice cream while we wait?"

"Yes!"

He looked over at Elizabeth. "Are you feeling up to joining us?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine, but Micah needs to be changed first, so give me a minute."

Half an hour later, they were all sitting in the ice cream shop. Micah was sitting in Jack's lap, giggling as he licked his ice cream cone.

"Looks like someone's going to need a good bath tonight." Elizabeth chuckled, noting that it seemed Micah had more ice cream on his face and hands than he was eating.

"How's your ice cream, sweet pea?"

Opal wiped her mouth with her hand. "It's delicious. How much longer before my brother is here?"

"I don't know, sweet pea. Your daddy is going to call and let me know."

"Is my mama okay?"

Elizabeth touched her cheek. "She'll be fine, sweetheart."

Jack's phone buzzed. "See, sweet pea. There's your daddy now." He wiped his fingers and answered the phone. "Hey, Tom. What's up?"

"Sarah's fine. The baby's fine. Can I talk to Opal? I promised her I'd tell her everything first."

"Sure." He held out the phone. "He wants to talk to you, sweet pea."

Opal put the phone up to her ear. "Daddy?"

Elizabeth looked up at Jack. "Everything okay?"

He nodded. "He said Sarah and the baby are both fine. He wouldn't tell me more, because apparently he promised Opal she'd get to find out everything else first."

"Based on how happy she looks, I'd say she was right about the baby being a brother."

"I think I agree with that." He chuckled.

"Bye, daddy." Opal handed the phone back to Jack.

"Tom?"

"If you guys want to go ahead and head up here and meet him, you can. I know Opal really wants to see him."

"Him? So Opal was right about getting a brother?"

He laughed. "Yes. Alec Thomas Thornton."

"Well, congrats, little brother. We'll be there soon."

...

Jack held Micah, standing off to the side of the room with Tom while Opal and Elizabeth moved toward the bed to see Sarah and the baby.

Jack shifted Micah on his hip. "So you have one of each now. That's fun."

Tom shook his head. "It's wild. For so long, it's been 'I have a daughter,' and now, I have a daughter _and _a son."

"So what exactly is it like watching your wife have your baby?"

"Terrifying. Beautiful. Amazing. A little gross. But mostly it's just completely unreal to see this tiny little person that you made together take their first breath and instinctively snuggle up with her because they _know _her already." He smiled as he looked over at his wife and newborn son. "Why do you ask? Are you and Elizabeth talking about having one?"

"Well, um, actually, we're passed the talking stage. I'm going to be in your shoes in about seven months."

"Really?"

Jack nodded.

"Congratulations, big brother. You two wasted no time, huh?"

Jack gave him a playful shove. "You can't even talk. Wasn't Opal a honeymoon baby?"

"Yeah yeah, and you waited what? Two whole months before getting Elizabeth pregnant?"

"_Four _months, actually."

"Didn't you mention to mom that you guys were waiting a year or two?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, yeah. We didn't exactly plan for her to get pregnant this soon."

Tom chuckled, clapping him on the back. "It happens to the best of us, man."

"Hey, what's going on over there?" Sarah looked over at them.

"Jack was just telling me that Opal and Alec are getting another cousin soon."

Sarah turned toward Elizabeth. "Is he serious?"

"Mhmm." She put a hand on her stomach. "Due in April."

"Congratulations, you guys."

"I'm really going to get another cousin?" Opal's face lit up.

"Yeah, sweet pea."

"Is it a girl or a boy? It should be a girl, so I'm not the only one."

Jack laughed. "We don't know yet. We'll tell you as soon as we know for sure, but I think there's a girl in there."

...

"So, our family members all officially know now." Jack slipped his shirt over his head.

"And we were able to keep the twin thing a secret."

Jack settled on his side of the bed. "How long are we keeping that a secret, by the way?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "I don't know. I was thinking maybe until we find out what they are."

"Aren't they babies?"

"Ha ha." She rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."

"Well, like I said earlier, one of them is a girl."

"Oh right, your magic powers."

"Hey," he nudged her. "I'm three for three now. I was right about Lorelei, Micah, and Leo."

"If you're so magic, then why don't you know what they both are?"

"Even I have my limits. I'm thinking the second one is also a girl, but I'm not as certain about that one."

"So twin girls." She put her hands on her stomach. "Is your daddy right? Are you both girls?"

"When will we find out that I'm right?"

"You might be wrong. But we'll have to wait another two months or so to find out."

"Two months is such a long time."

"Patience, professor. It'll be here before we know it."

He kissed her temple. "I love you, Beth."

"I love you."


	30. Chapter 30

"Elizabeth?" Jack wandered over to the bathroom. He knocked softly on the door. "Are you okay? You've been in there a while." When she didn't respond, he opened the door a crack and found her sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall. "Elizabeth?"

She blinked slowly, looking dazed. "Jack?"

"What's going on?" He crouched down beside her, brushing the hair back from her face. "Talk to me."

"Dizzy."

"You're dizzy?"

"Yes. Hurts." She brought her hand to her head.

"Did you hit your head?" He started feeling around her head gently to check for bumps.

"No. Just feel sick."

"Okay, we're going to the emergency room." He pushed down the fear that crept into his mind and lifted her from the floor.

He loaded her and Micah into the car, dropping Micah off with Tom and Sarah on the way to the hospital.

It felt like hours passed before she was seen by a doctor and hooked up to IV fluids. It didn't take long before she started perking up.

Jack took Elizabeth's hand. "You had me so worried."

"I'm sorry."

"I guess I didn't realize you've been so sick today."

"I haven't been, really. At least, I haven't been any sicker than normal." She sighed. "I skipped lunch today—not intentionally, I just got busy with paperwork and forgot about it—and I probably should have been drinking more water."

"You can't be doing this, Elizabeth."

"I know, I know. These babies need me to take care of myself. It won't happen again. I promise."

"Okay." He lifted her hand to his lips, kissing her fingers gently. "I love you, you know that?"

"I know." She smiled weakly. "I love you, too."

"I need to go call Tom and let him know we'll be here for a little while longer."

"Hurry back."

He kissed her forehead. "I will. Do you need anything?"

She shook her head. "I'm fine."

He wandered into the lobby before he pulled out his phone. "Tom?"

"Hey, big brother. What's the update?"

"Elizabeth is fine, but she was really dehydrated. They've got her on some fluids, but it'll still be a few hours before she's discharged."

"Don't worry about Micah. He's doing fine over here. We'll keep him overnight, and you can just pick him up in the morning."

"Are you sure? I mean, you have Opal, and Alec is still a newborn."

"It's fine, Jack, really. Sarah doesn't mind, and Opal loves having Micah here. You just worry about making sure Elizabeth and the baby are okay."

"Thanks, Tom. I owe you one."

"Don't mention it."

When Jack returned to Elizabeth's room, the doctor was setting up some more equipment.

"What's that for?" he questioned, suddenly worried that things were worse than they had originally been told.

"It's a fetal Doppler, to listen to the babies' heartbeats."

"Is something wrong with them?"

"No, we don't think so. We're just checking on them. Okay," the doctor tapped Elizabeth's shoulder, "I need you to lift your gown up over your stomach and then lean back."

She got situated, and the doctor started moving the wand around her stomach, searching for a heartbeat.

"There's one of them." She watched the screen for a few moments, observing the waves indicating the heartbeat. "That one sounds good. Now, let's find baby number two." A second heartbeat was heard a few seconds later. "Another strong heartbeat."

Elizabeth squeezed Jack's hand. "They're okay?"

"They sound perfect." She gave Elizabeth a towel to wipe the gel from her stomach. "You can just rest for a while now. We want to observe you just a bit longer to make sure everything is okay before we send you home."

"Okay. Thank you."

Jack sighed once the doctor left the room, finally able to relax after an evening full of worrying.

"You okay, hon?" Elizabeth asked as she watched him sink heavily into the chair beside the bed.

"I'm better now that I know you and the babies are all going to be okay."

"How's our boy?"

"Tom said he's fine. He and Sarah are just going to keep him overnight for us."

"They don't have to do that."

"That's what I said, but Tom insisted." He reached out and put his hand on her belly, laughing softly. "I still have a hard time believing we're really going to have two more little ones running around."

"They won't be running around for a while."

"True. And who knows? By the time these two are running around, we might have another one on the way."

Her eyes went wide. "Um, can we please wait until these two are out of me before we discuss having any more?"

He chuckled. "Okay."

She put her hand on his. "I love you, Jack."

"I love you, too."

...

Jack packed Micah's little costume in a bag while Elizabeth slipped her shoes on. "Are you sure you don't want to come trick-or-treating tonight?"

She nodded. "I'm sure. I don't want to ruin the night by getting sick."

"I thought it hasn't been that bad the past couple of weeks since the hospital. You said you've been feeling better."

"I have, but I'd still feel better staying in. Besides, Sarah said she'll hang out with me, because she'd rather keep Alec home, and I think Rosie might stay with us, too."

"Okay, if you're sure." He kissed her forehead. "I'll go get Micah and start the car."

"I'll be out in a second."

Fifteen minutes later, they pulled up to Tom and Sarah's house.

"Are you excited to go trick-or-treating, little bug?" Elizabeth turned to look at Micah.

"Twick or tweat."

Jack chuckled. "You're getting good at that, little man."

"Let's get you inside and into your costume, Micah."

Opal came running as soon as they walked in the door. "Uncle Jack! Aunt Elizabeth!"

"Hi, sweet pea." Jack hugged her. "You're dressed as a vet again?"

She nodded emphatically. "It's what I'm going to be when I grow up. I'm going to be a bear doctor. I wanted Alec to dress up as a bear, but mommy said he's too little for trick-or-treating."

"Maybe next year." Elizabeth stroked her hair.

She reached up and laid a hand on Elizabeth's stomach. "Will my baby cousin be big enough to trick-or-treat next year?"

"Probably not, sweetheart."

Jack touched her arm. "I'm going to get Micah changed."

"Okay."

"Aunt Elizabeth, come see baby Alec. Mommy says he looks like me." She tugged on Elizabeth's hand, pulling her into the living room.

Sarah sat in the recliner with the baby resting on her chest. "Oh, look, Alec. There's your Auntie."

Elizabeth smiled. "He's getting bigger."

"Looks like he's not the only baby who's been doing some growing." She shot a glance at Elizabeth's belly and raised her eyebrows.

She chuckled and put her hands on the little bump. "Yeah, I forgot how sudden it can be. One day, it just looks like you had a big dinner, and the next, none of your clothes fit."

"And just when you think you can't get any bigger, you do," Sarah added with a laugh.

"Mama!" Micah ran in, interrupting them.

"Look at you, you handsome little astronaut."

He grinned at her and tugged on the sleeve of his costume.

"Hey, Micah," Jack ruffled his hair, "can you show mama how you've been practicing saying 'astronaut'?"

"Astwonaut!"

Elizabeth laughed. "Good job, little bug. You're so smart." She kissed the top of his head. "You be good for daddy and Uncle Lee and Uncle Tom, okay?"

"Be good," he repeated.

Shortly after the Coulters arrived, the men left to take the kids trick-or-treating, leaving Elizabeth, Rosemary, and Sarah alone with baby Alec.

Rosemary sipped her water. "Are you two going to find out what you're having?"

"We haven't officially decided, but I think so. I have the big anatomy scan next week, so we can find out then. Jack is convinced we're having a girl." _And another girl, too_, she thought.

"You know, if you have a girl, we'll all have one of each."

Elizabeth chuckled, rubbing her hand across her stomach. "I didn't even think about that."

"Are you hoping Jack is right? That it's a girl?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "I can honestly say I don't care either way. Had you asked me before Micah was born, I would've said one-hundred percent, I wanted only girls. I think because it was just me and my sisters growing up, the idea of having a son kind of terrified me."

"I was the opposite." Sarah shifted Alec in her arms. "I only wanted boys. I even refused to choose a girl name when I was pregnant with Opal."

"I don't think I've heard this story before." Rosemary set down her glass.

"Me neither."

"Well, we didn't find out she was a girl until she was born, all because I wanted to stay in my little bubble believing I was having a boy. And then she ended up being nameless until about an hour before we left the hospital since we hadn't even discussed girl names."

"It's funny how everything changes once they're born. I was like Elizabeth; I only wanted girls. When I was pregnant with Leo, I so wanted him to be another girl, but now I can't even imagine what it would be like to have another girl instead of him."

...

"Jack?"

He poked his head through the door. "Everything okay?"

"I can't reach my feet." She looked defeated. "Can you help me with my shoes?"

"Of course." He hurried over and tied her shoes for her. "Are you ready to go?"

She nodded. "Let's go see our babies."

He reached over and squeezed her hand. "I still can't believe there are two of them in there."

"I can believe it. I'm not even halfway yet, and I feel like I'm already as big as I was in my last trimester with Micah."

"You still look beautiful."

"Tell me that in a couple of months, when I look like a whale." She pouted, wrapping her arms around her stomach.

"You won't look like a whale."

"I have two babies inside me, and they're going to keep growing for the next four and a half months. I'm going to be huge. Will you still love me then?"

"That shouldn't even be a question. Of course I'll still love you. Yes, you're the most beautiful woman I know, but that's not why I love you. So big pregnant belly or not, I will always love you, Elizabeth Thornton." He kissed her softly. "Now come on. We don't want to be late."

She wiped her eyes. "Well, now I need to compose myself before the appointment. I don't deserve you, Jack Thornton."

They sat in the car outside of the medical office.

"Before we go in, we need to decide for sure. Do we still want to find out what they are?"

"I still do, but I think you should make the final decision."

"I want to. Then we only have to pick two names instead of four, and we can start decorating the nursery and buying clothes and everything."

"And we can know for sure that I'm right." He smirked.

"Yeah, yeah." She rolled her eyes.

"Then let's go find out what our babies are."

...

The ultrasound technician entered the room, a clipboard in her hands. "Elizabeth Thornton?"

Elizabeth nodded. "That's me."

"Great. Hop on up there, and let's take a look at these babies."

Jack helped her up on the exam table. She leaned back and lifted her shirt over her belly.

"Now," the technician squirted gel on Elizabeth's stomach, "I see here that you're having twins."

"That's right."

"And you've had a baby before?"

"Yes."

"Good. So you should have a bit of an idea of what to expect with this scan. I'm going to be checking the growth and development of the babies and their organs, so just sit tight. With two babies, it can take a while."

Jack stared at the screen as the image popped up. "And you can tell us the sex of the babies during this scan, too?"

She chuckled. "Depending on how they're positioned, yes. I'll let you know when I get to that point."

She narrated what she was doing as she went along, pointing out the brain, heart, and kidneys of each baby, as well as their arms, legs, feet, and hands.

"Well, those are two very healthy-looking babies. They're both measuring at around half a pound, which is right on track." She looked over at Jack. "And _now _is the time that I ask if you want to know the sex."

"Yes," he blurted.

"That's a yes from dad. Mom, you want to know, too?"

Elizabeth laughed softly. "Yes, please."

"Do you want me to tell you, or write it down?"

She looked at Jack. "I don't think my husband is going to leave here until he knows, so you can just tell us."

The technician chuckled. "Okay. Let me just get at a different angle here and see if these babies will cooperate with us." She moved the wand around on Elizabeth's stomach. "Perfect positioning. We're back to baby A, and it looks like this one is…a little girl."

Jack squeezed Elizabeth's hand. "A girl," he mouthed to her silently.

She found the right angle on the second baby much more quickly. "Baby B over here is also a girl."

"Are they identical? I know that was still in question at the last ultrasound."

"Yes. They have separate sacs, but they share a placenta, so they're identical. The technical term is monochorionic-diamniotic." She gave Elizabeth a towel to wipe off her stomach. "I'll get some pictures printed for you two, and then you can head to the front desk and schedule your next ultrasound."

"Thank you."

...

They stopped beside their car.

"Two girls. You know this means I was right."

"I know, and I'm preparing myself to hear about it all the time."

Jack grinned and put his hands on her stomach. "Our little princesses."

"I love you, Jack." She touched his cheek and leaned up to kiss him.

"I love you, too." He laughed. "Gosh, I just can't believe it. We're going to have twin _daughters_."

"_Identical _twin daughters."

"I'm fully prepared to get them mixed up all the time."

Elizabeth chuckled. "I've heard it's easier to tell identical twins apart when they're your own."

"We'll see. I don't have a lot of faith in myself."

"How about we don't dress them alike? Or at least put them in different colors."

"Good idea." He kissed her again. "Now, I need to get my girls—and my little man—home."

"Can we stop by the store and get some ice cream after we pick up Micah?"

"Anything you want."

...

Elizabeth looked at the ultrasound photos spread on the table in front of her, tears filling her eyes.

"What's wrong, love?" Jack stepped up behind her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Nothing. Just hormones." She wiped her eyes and sighed. "Lately, I've been thinking a lot about when I was pregnant with Micah—for obvious reasons," she touched her stomach, "but I've also been thinking about what I missed out on because I didn't have Pat with me."

Jack just kissed her temple, sensing that she wanted to say more.

"I didn't get to see his face when I told him he was going to be a dad. I didn't get to have him by my side holding my hand when I found out Micah was a boy. I didn't have him to help me pick out clothes or things for the nursery. The whole time I was pregnant, I just kept thinking about what Patrick was missing, but now I'm realizing everything that I missed." She turned to face him, placing a hand on his cheek. "Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to have all those experiences this time around, but I guess in a way I'm mourning the fact that I didn't have this before."

"I understand." He kissed her softly. "Or, at least, I understand as well as I can without having actually gone through that myself."

"It seems silly, I know. I wasn't alone during that time; I had you and Rosie and Lee and our families. And I had a healthy pregnancy and birth, and Micah is amazing and perfect. There could have been far worse things."

Jack wiped away the remnants of her tears with his thumb. "Hey, aren't you the one who's always saying all feelings are valid, even when they seem silly?"

"So you _do _pay attention when I therapize you." She chuckled.

"Only when you say insightful things like that." He winked. "Now, how about I run you a bath, and then afterward, we can have more of that ice cream."

She kissed him softly. "How on Earth was I lucky enough to end up with you?"

...

In the middle of the night, Elizabeth woke to an empty bed. "Jack?" She glanced around the dark room. He wasn't there. She groaned as she rolled out of bed. "Jack?"

She padded down the hallway, finding him sitting in the still mostly empty nursery.

"Honey? What are you doing in here?"

He looked up at her and smiled. "I couldn't sleep, and I didn't want to disturb you."

"What's keeping you up?"

"Nothing, really. I guess these pictures are just really provoking a lot of thought for us." He looked back down at the ultrasound pictures in his hands. "I've just been thinking about how happy I am we're having girls. Of course, I would've been happy with more boys, too, but I was really hoping for girls."

"Really?" She carefully lowered herself to the floor beside him. "Why?"

"I just don't want Micah to feel left out because he's not biologically mine and these babies are. I guess if we were having boys, I'd be worried that Micah would feel like he needs to compete with them." He shrugged. "I don't know."

"Hey, Micah has never known anything but love from you. I can't imagine you treating him any differently than you'll treat these babies."

"I do love that little man," the corners of his lips turned up into a smile, "so much."

"He loves you, too." She kissed his cheek. "And so do I. Now," she groaned as she sat up straight, "I'm going to need your help to stand back up."


	31. Chapter 31

"Are you coming to bed?

"I'll be there in a minute," Elizabeth called out from the bathroom as she dried her face. She turned off the light and stepped into the bedroom. "What are you so eager about?"

"I want to talk to the babies."

She shook her head and chuckled. He had gotten in the habit of talking to the babies every night before they went to bed, which she found both adorable and hilarious.

"What? You can talk to them all the time. I can only talk to them when you're next to me."

She settled down in the bed beside him. "Go for it."

"Hi, girls." He put his hands on either side of her stomach. "It's daddy again. Guess what, babies. Mama and I are getting close to picking names for you two. We just have to narrow the choices down a little bit more. I wanted to give you two names from Scotland and Ireland, like Skye and Erin or some other names like that, but mama said no for some reason."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes playfully. "I told you why. It's because in the future, when they ask why we chose their names, we'd either have to lie or tell them, 'oh, because mama and daddy made you while we were on vacation in Scotland and Ireland.'"

"So?"

"When you were a kid, did you want your parents to tell you where you were conceived?"

"Point taken." He chuckled and returned his attention to her belly. "We can't wait to meet you girls, but you take your time growing in there. Okay? We want you to be nice and strong when you come out into the world, so just enjoy this time being nice and cozy in mama's belly."

"Whoa." She gasped, putting her hand next to his.

"What? Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I'm fine. One of them just kicked me."

"Is that the first kick you've felt?"

"No. I've felt them moving for a couple of weeks now, but it's mostly been flutters. This one was stronger."

"I can't wait until I can feel them." He spread his fingers wider.

"Oh, there was another one. I think that was the other baby." She rubbed her stomach. "Are you two letting me know you hear your daddy talking? Your big brother used to do that, too."

"I still say Micah kicked to get me to _stop_ talking."

She laughed softly. "No, he kicked because he loved you, even then. If the same is true for these babies, they're destined to be daddy's girls."

"I love them so much already. How is that possible?"

She shrugged. "That's one of life's great mysteries."

"I know I was around for your whole pregnancy with Micah, but it still blows my mind that you're literally growing tiny people inside of you. And this time, _I _helped make them. They're a little bit of you and a little bit of me. It's amazing." He leaned up and kissed her softly.

"It is amazing," she agreed. "The whole concept of pregnancy is wild when you really think about it." She touched his cheek. "But don't think about it too hard. It'll make your head hurt."

"You know what else is wild?" He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It feels like it was just yesterday, but it's been about two and a half years since you were at this point in your pregnancy with Micah."

"Oh, don't say that. That means he'll turn three on his next birthday, and he's not allowed to grow up."

He kissed her again, gently. "Just try to remember that, no matter how old he gets, you'll always be his mama, and a boy always needs his mom."

"Even when he's grown and has his own kids?"

"_Especially _when he's grown and has his own kids. My mom is probably sick and tired of me asking her questions all the time."

She threaded her fingers through his. "What kind of questions do you ask her?"

"Um, I don't want to say."

"Oh, come on. I'm carrying your babies. Two of them. At the same time. You have to tell me."

He kissed her temple. "I don't think you want to know."

"Jack Thornton, you tell me right now or I'll…"

"You'll what?" he questioned, looking amused.

"I don't know."

"Fine." He sighed. "Mostly I just ask her about pregnancy mood swings, morning sickness, cravings, aches and pains, things like that."

"You know you can ask me about that stuff, since I'm currently pregnant and all."

"I know, but I just don't want to bother you with that. I want to do what I can to help."

"You're the sweetest husband, Jack Thornton."

...

Jack lifted Micah from the ground. "Hey, little man, are you ready to go see Uncle Tom and Aunt Sarah?"

He nodded emphatically. "We eat? I hungry."

Elizabeth chuckled as she slung the diaper bag over her shoulder. "Yes, little bug. We'll eat there."

"Ready to go?"

"Mhmm, but you need to grab the pie."

"Your hands aren't full."

"I'm pregnant."

He chuckled. "Fine." He put Micah back on the ground. "You go to the car with mama. I'll be right out."

Elizabeth was buckling Micah into his carseat when Jack returned with the pie.

"Hey, I was just thinking, since we know the babies are girls, does that mean we can break the twin news to people now?"

"Yes." She nodded, climbing into her seat. "We probably need to. I feel like I'm looking big enough that people are going to wonder, anyway." She paused for a moment, cradling her belly. "I don't want to tell people they're girls just yet, though. I want to keep that to ourselves until they're born."

"So the names are staying secret, too?"

"Once we actually settle on them, yes."

"And nothing outrageously girly in the nursery?" Jack walked around the car and slipped into the driver's seat.

"No. As far as furniture and bedding goes, we probably want mostly neutral stuff, anyway, in case we decide to have another baby in the future. And we can use some things I still have from when Micah was a baby."

"But we can get some girl clothes for them, right? Those can be hidden in the closet or in our room or something."

"Have you been thinking about these things? Getting them clothes and stuff?"

"Well…a little. I mean, obviously they need some OU gear, and I've seen some bows that would be cute, and some dresses."

"You're adorable. I love that you're excited about things like bows and dresses."

"I love anything that has to do with our children."

"You're a wonderful dad, Jack Thornton." She reached over and touched his cheek. "I don't think I tell you that enough."

...

"Look at you!" Sarah hugged Elizabeth as she walked through the door. "You look great."

"Well, thank you. I feel huge."

"How much longer do you have?" She took the pie from Elizabeth and led her toward the kitchen.

"I'm due at the beginning of April, so just over four months left. Micah was two weeks early, though, so who knows."

"Your anniversary is around the middle of March, right? You guys could end up with an anniversary baby."

Elizabeth smiled. "Maybe. So, anyway, how are you feeling?"

"I'm doing okay. Recovery is definitely harder with a C-section, and add onto that the fact that I'm almost ten years older than I was when I had Opal. I'm not springing back quite as quickly as I did with her."

"Well, you look wonderful."

"Thank you. It does help that Opal is old enough to have responsibilities around the house, and she loves helping with Alec."

"I can't wait to see how Micah handles being a big brother."

"He's a wonderful little boy. I'm sure he'll be a great brother."

"I'm sure he will," Elizabeth agreed, gazing off in the distance. "Well, what can I help with in here?"

"Tom is smoking the turkey out back, so it's just sides and desserts in here." She pointed at a baking dish on the counter. "If you want, you can get the green bean casserole ready. The recipe should be right there."

She washed her hands and found the recipe Sarah was talking about. "On it."

Outside, Jack and Tom were standing on the deck, Tom making sure the turkey was cooking properly.

Jack looked out into the yard, making sure Micah wasn't getting into trouble as he ran around with Opal.

"So," Tom started, "Elizabeth's halfway through her pregnancy now, right?"

"A little over halfway, actually."

"Do you feel ready?"

"Does anyone ever feel ready to have a newborn around?" He chuckled. "Mentally, I think I'm as prepared as I can be. But with everything else, I don't think we're ready at all. We haven't started on the nursery, we haven't pulled any of Micah's old things out of storage, we're having trouble narrowing down the list of names." He sighed heavily. "There's just so much we need to get done. I know we have time, but I also know that the next few months are going to fly by."

"Well, Christmas break is coming up. I'm sure you guys can get some things done then."

Jack nodded. "We'll have almost a whole day traveling up to Chicago, so I expect we'll at least talk about what we need to get. We did spend last Christmas break looking for houses, so baby stuff should be a cinch."

Tom chuckled. "Oh, you have no idea, man."

"There are my boys." Charlotte stepped out onto the deck.

"Hey, ma. The girls kick you out?"

She nodded, putting her hands on her hips. "They seem to think my culinary skills aren't needed. Can you believe that?"

"Oh, I believe it."

"Nana!" Opal ran over when she noticed her grandmother was outside.

Micah was toddling behind her as quickly as his little legs would carry him. "Nana nana!"

"Well, hello, you two!" She pulled them both into a hug, kissing the tops of their heads. "I missed you both."

"Nana, come see the project I made for school! It's about brown bears!" She took Charlotte's hand and tugged her toward the house.

"I guess I'll catch up with you boys later." She waved at her sons before disappearing through the door.

...

Charlotte said grace before they passed the dishes around the table, everyone filling their plates.

"Dig in, everyone," Sarah stated.

"Wait, mommy! We have to say what we're thankful for!"

"Oh, you're right, honey bun. Do you want to start?"

"Yes. I'm thankful for my baby brother Alec and my boyfriend Philip." Opal turned to Jack. "Your turn, Uncle Jack. What are you thankful for?"

"I'm thankful for _my _baby brother," he winked at Tom, "and that he invited us to have Thanksgiving here." He turned to Elizabeth and squeezed her hand, giving her a tiny nod. "You're up, love."

"I'm thankful for all of you at this table, but this year, I'm especially thankful for the healthy little babies in here." She rubbed her belly.

Charlotte's fork clattered against her plate when she dropped it. "Did you just say 'babies,' plural?"

Elizabeth nodded. "I did."

"How many babies are we talking about?"

"Just two. Identical twins."

"So when you told me I was getting a new grandbaby, you really meant I'm getting _two _new grandbabies?" She turned her gaze to Jack, raising her eyebrows.

"Hey, don't look at me like that." He put up his hands. "It was Elizabeth's idea to keep it a secret. I'm honestly surprised neither of us accidentally let it slip the past couple of months."

Opal set down her fork and looked at Jack. "Aunt Elizabeth, you said they're identical twins? Does that mean they'll look alike?"

"Yes, sweet pea. They have the same genes."

"Jeans? Like pants?" She scrunched her forehead, looking confused.

Everybody chuckled.

"No. Genes, spelled G-E-N-E-S. Everybody has different genes they get from their parents, and those genes determine things like what color your eyes and hair are, or how tall you'll be. Identical twins have the same genes, so they look alike."

"Oh. Okay. Mommy, it's your turn to say what you're thankful for."

...

"Hey, little man." Jack pulled a sleepy Micah from his carseat. "Let's get you inside."

"Daddy," he mumbled, leaning his head on Jack's shoulder.

"I'll let Luna out. Can you put Micah down on the sofa, please? He needs a bath before bed tonight."

"Will do." He followed her into the house.

Elizabeth let the bouncy dog out of her kennel and fed her before letting her out in the yard to run off her pent-up energy.

"Micah's asleep on the sofa. I'm going to change."

"Okay. I need to call my parents and tell them about the twins. Do you want me to wait for you?"

"No, you go ahead." He kissed her cheek. "Good luck." He winked and disappeared down the hall.

Elizabeth took a seat on the sofa beside Micah and scrolled through her phone until she found her mom's number. She propped the phone up in front of her, waiting for her to answer.

"Hi, honey."

"Hi, mom. Hi, dad. Happy Thanksgiving."

"Happy Thanksgiving, sweetheart."

"You spent the day with Jack's family, right?"

She nodded. "We went to Tom's house, so it was him and Sarah and the kids. Charlotte came down, too."

"How's Micah?"

"He's good. He's sleeping right now." She chuckled. "He definitely inherited Patrick's appetite. I think he ate more than I did, and I'm eating for three."

"Oh, that boy. We miss him."

"Wait." Grace's eyes grew wide. "Did you just say you're eating for three?"

"Um, yes."

"Elizabeth Reed, is this your way of telling us you're having twins?"

"Mhmm." She smiled and cradled her belly. "You have two new grandbabies on the way."

Jack came up behind her, holding an ultrasound photo in front of the phone. "Say hello to the Thornton twins."

"They're beautiful. Congratulations, you two."

"I'll send you that picture later so you can see it better." She took the photo from Jack as he sat beside her.

"So, boys or girls? One of each? What are they?"

"Grace, calm down. They may not know what they are yet."

"Jack and I know, but we're keeping that a secret until they're born." She rubbed her stomach. "I will say they're identical, so it's not one of each."

"Identical twins. This is so exciting!"

"You're still planning to come for Christmas?"

"Yes. We'll be there the twenty-third."

"Okay. Well, I'm sure you need your rest. We'll let you go. Love you."

"Love you, too. We'll see you soon."

...

A couple of weeks after Thanksgiving, Jack walked into the house after work, noticing how quiet it was. "Elizabeth?" He wandered from room to room, finally finding her in their bedroom. Her back was to him as she stared out the window. He took a seat on the bed beside her. "Hey, love. What's going on?"

"It's Pat's birthday."

"I know," he sighed. He put a hand on her back. "I'll be fine with Micah for a little while if you want to go see him."

She shook her head. "I think…I want to take him with me this time."

"Okay." He kissed her cheek. "I'll make dinner tonight. Take your time."

"Thank you, Jack."

Half an hour later, she pulled into the cemetery.

"Okay, little bug," Elizabeth lifted Micah out of his carseat and set him on the ground, pulling his coat on and zipping it up. She took his little hand and reached for the bouquet of flowers sitting on the seat. "I haven't brought you here in a while, but I want you to see something."

She walked slowly across the grass, making sure his little legs could keep up.

"This is where your dad is buried, Micah." She touched the stone, brushing her fingers across the name carved there. "This says 'Patrick John Coulter.' That's your dad's name. I so wish you could've met him, sweet boy." She tugged his hat down over his ears. "He would've been a great dad to you, Micah Patrick."

He looked at the stone then up at her. "Dad?"

"That's right, little bug. Your dad. He died when you were just a little baby in my belly; you were even smaller than your sisters are right now. Sometimes I come here to talk to him. Daddy comes here sometimes, too, and when you're bigger, if you ever want to come talk to your dad, you can ask me or daddy to bring you here. Okay? Now, today I brought you here because it's your dad's birthday."

She placed the bouquet on the ground and rested her hand on top of the stone, smiling sadly.

"Happy birthday, Pat. I miss you." She sighed. "I brought Micah with me today. Our son. You wouldn't believe how big he's getting." She smiled at Micah, who was now sitting in the grass at her feet, his chubby fingers exploring the letters carved in the stone. "He's two years old now, believe it or not. He can walk and run now, and he's talking more and more every day. He's such a good boy. He's just like you, Pat, so smart and kind and curious. But the big news is that he's going to have two little sisters in a few months."

She rubbed her stomach as one of the babies kicked.

"Jack and I are having twin girls—which is still hard for me to believe. Jack is thrilled. He absolutely loves being a father, and he's so good at it. Micah will never doubt that he has a daddy on Earth who loves him, which I know is what you would want for him. But don't worry; he knows he has a dad in heaven who loves him, too." She blinked back a few tears. "I still love you, Pat. Forever."

She kissed her fingers, then touched them to the top of the stone.

"Okay, little bug, are you ready to go back home?"

"See daddy?"

"Mhmm. Home to daddy."

...

Elizabeth let Micah into the house, then walked straight into Jack's arms. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He kissed her temple. "Are you feeling better?"

She nodded into his chest. "Much. What's for dinner? We have a little boy who's very eager to eat."

Jack chuckled, releasing her from his embrace. "Lasagna."

"Yum. You get to bathe Micah when he's all covered in tomato sauce, though."

He grinned. "I'll go get the little troublemaker."


	32. Chapter 32

Elizabeth leaned back against the headboard, her fingers dancing across her stomach while the babies seemed to be doing gymnastics inside of her. Luna jumped up on the bed, laying her head across Elizabeth's lap.

"Hey, Looney Luna." She scratched the dog's head. "Are you snuggling with the babies? Will you protect them like you protect Micah?" Luna yawned and nuzzled her face closer to Elizabeth's stomach.

Jack came into the room quietly. "Why are you still awake? I thought you were going to take a nap."

"I was, but the babies are wide awake right now. I dozed for a little bit, but that didn't last long. It feels like they're trying to switch places or something with as much as they're moving." She covered her mouth as she yawned. "What's Micah up to?"

"He's in his crib, almost asleep."

"Good. At least someone in this house is able to get some sleep. Or two someones, I guess." She pet Luna, who was now sleeping across her legs.

Jack climbed into the bed and leaned over her stomach, resting one hand on the top of her belly and one on the bottom. "Hey, girls, give your mom a break, please."

She chuckled when the movement inside her grew stronger. She lifted her shirt just a bit, little bulges clearly appearing on her stomach where little feet and hands were pressing against her. "Look. That's just making it worse. They get so excited when they hear you." She touched his cheek. "They'll be daddy's girls for sure."

He grinned. "Gosh, I just can't wait to meet them. I can't wait to see which one of us they'll look like, and which personality traits they'll get from us."

"Well, if Micah is any indication, they'll get absolutely nothing from me."

He laughed. "He really is like a little clone of Pat. But I see some of you in him, too." He leaned up and kissed her. "I hope our girls are just like you. Beautiful blue eyes, the biggest heart, and so smart."

"You sweet talker." She ran her fingers through his hair, a smile in her eyes. "Hey, since they aren't letting me take a nap right now, why don't we talk about names again? My mom keeps asking me if we've chosen them yet."

"She does know we won't announce their names until they're born, right?"

She laughed softly. "Yes. But she needs their first initials for their Christmas stockings, apparently. I guess she's too impatient to wait and have them made next year."

"Okay. Then let's discuss."

"I know they're twins, but I don't want their names to be too matchy. We'll probably be getting them mixed up enough without their names being similar."

"Good point. So any ideas?"

She sighed. "I don't really know. With Micah, I knew right away when I opened Pat's Bible that that was his name. So far, I haven't come across any names for these girls that stand out like that."

"Well, where's that list we started?"

She pointed at his nightstand. "In the drawer."

"Okay." He opened the drawer and found the sheet of paper with names scrawled on it. "I know it's not on the list, but I still want one of them to have Elizabeth as a middle name."

"Well," she began, "if I agree to that, then you have to agree to let me choose the middle name of the other one. It's only fair."

"I'll agree to that." He handed her the paper. "Are there any you like?"

"I've been leaning toward Victoria."

"Victoria. I like it."

"And I figure, it matches Elizabeth a little bit; they have the same number of syllables."

He absentmindedly rubbed her belly. "Plus, they're both royal names, which is perfect because these babies will be our little princesses."

She smiled and put her hand on his. "You're going to spoil them rotten, aren't you?"

"That's my plan. So are we settled on Elizabeth and Victoria as middle names?"

Elizabeth nodded. "I think so."

"Perfect. So we have their middle names chosen. Now for first names."

"We didn't really do this in the right order." She chuckled. "Now we not only have to choose names we both like, they also have to fit with the middle names."

"Something Elizabeth and Something Victoria. Hm." He reached for the paper in her hand. "Let me see that list again."

...

Elizabeth stared up at the ceiling, just a sliver of moonlight was coming through the curtains. "Jack?"

He rolled over to face her. "Hm?"

"Do you think I talk about Pat too often?"

"No," he answered with no hesitation. "Why would you ask that?"

She sighed. "I mentioned him when I was at work the other day, and one of my coworkers said you must feel bad because it seems like I'm pining after someone who's gone instead of appreciating what I have."

"Elizabeth, listen to me. Your coworker couldn't be more wrong." He took her hand. "I know we've talked about this before. I don't doubt that you still love Pat. I know you'll always love him, and I _expect_ you to talk about him. And nothing changes the fact that he's Micah's father, even him calling me daddy. I want that boy to know about Patrick just as much as you do. And even if he wasn't Micah's father, I wouldn't expect you to just forget about someone who was such a big part of your life. I promise, it really doesn't bother me at all that you talk about him or that you still go visit him. I've never once doubted your love for me. I believe you're completely capable of loving both of us. Think about it. You wouldn't be pregnant with my babies if you didn't love me."

She laughed softly, cradling her belly. "That's very true."

"It is. So please don't listen to what other people say. They don't know me; they don't know our relationship."

"You're too good for me, Jack." She wiped away the tears that were filling her eyes.

"Now that's where I have to disagree." He leaned over and kissed her. "I love you, Beth."

She touched his cheek. "I love you, Jack. So much."

...

Elizabeth glanced down when she heard her phone buzz. She picked it up and answered it. "Hi, mom. What's going on?"

"Oh, I just wanted to see how you're doing. I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"No. I'm on my lunch break right now. And I'm fine, just tired and feeling huge, but that's just what being pregnant with twins is like. Oh, and apparently morning sickness can come back." She rubbed her belly. "No one warned me about that one."

"You poor dear. I know you've heard this before, but you'll forget about all of those things once those babies are in your arms."

She smiled as one of the babies kicked. "I know."

"In the meantime, try some ginger candies or ginger tea. Those worked wonders for me when I was pregnant with you and your sisters."

"I've tried the tea, but I haven't tried ginger candies before. Thanks, mom."

"You're welcome. Oh, Elizabeth, I was also wondering if you and Jack have picked names for the babies yet. I know they won't be here by Christmas, but I wanted to have their stockings up anyway."

"Mom, you know I can't tell you their names, because then I'd have to tell you if they're boys or girls. Besides, you said before you just need the first initial."

"Darn. I thought that might work." She laughed. "But you're right, the first initial is all I need. Will you at least let me know those?"

"Well, you're in luck, because we finally settled on names a couple of days ago. One baby is A and the other is C."

"A and C. Got it. I guess your dad and I finally need to find a new place to fit all the stockings."

"I guess you do." Elizabeth chuckled.

"So we'll be seeing you soon?"

"Yeah, we'll be there Wednesday."

"Make sure you have lots of extra room in your suitcases. I may have gone a little overboard with gifts for Micah and the babies."

"Mom, the babies aren't even born yet. You didn't need to get them anything."

"They're my grandbabies. Let me spoil them."

Elizabeth laughed softly. "Fine. Go ahead and spoil them rotten. Jack's already planning on doing that, anyway."

"He's a good dad."

She smiled, glancing at the photo on her desk of Jack holding Micah when they were in Ireland. Huge smiles covered both of their faces. "He is. The very best."

"Well, I'll let you get back to your lunch break. You need to keep your strength up to grow those babies."

"Okay. We'll see you in a few days."

"See you then, dear. I love you."

"Love you, too, mom."

...

Jack held Micah on his shoulders as he strolled down the sidewalk, Opal skipping along ahead of them.

"Uncle Jack?"

"Yes, sweet pea?"

Opal paused, turning toward him. "Is my brother going to be okay?"

"He'll be just fine. He has a tongue tie, so the doctor is just doing a tiny procedure to fix it so he can eat better. You had the same thing when you were a baby."

"I did?" She reached for his hand as they continued walking. "When my baby cousins are born, will they need their tongues fixed?"

"They might."

"When are they going to be born?"

"They're supposed to come in April, but Aunt Elizabeth's doctor says they might come a little early."

"Why?" She stopped next to the car, looking up at him.

"You know, sweet pea, I don't really know why that is." He unlocked the car and strapped Micah into his carseat. "Maybe because they run out of room with two of them in there."

"Are they boys or girls?" She hopped up into the booster seat and buckled herself in.

"Nice try, sweet pea. It's still a secret."

"Oh man. Why does it have to be a secret? I knew that Micah was a boy baby before he was born."

Jack shrugged and slipped into the driver's seat. "Your Aunt Elizabeth and I just decided we don't want anyone else to know until the babies are born. We don't really have a reason. Now," he pulled out of the parking lot, "how about we stop by the store and get some things to make chicken and dumplings?"

"Yum! Can we make a pie, too?"

"That sounds delicious. What kind of pie should we make?"

"Apple! With cinnamon in it."

"Apple!" Micah repeated.

"Apple pie it is."

...

"Mm." Elizabeth stepped through the front door. "It smells delicious in here."

Micah came running from the kitchen. "Mama! Hi!"

"Hello, little bug!" She lifted him up, setting him on her belly. "Goodness, Micah Patrick. You're getting so big." She walked toward the kitchen. "I'm not going to be able to carry you much longer."

"There's my lovely wife." Jack turned from the stove to kiss her on the cheek.

"Aunt Elizabeth, we're making chicken and dumplings and apple pie for dessert!"

"Yum, I love those."

"It'll be ready in about ten minutes."

"Okay." She lowered Micah to the floor. "I'm going to get changed."

Twenty minutes later, they sat around the table, enjoying their meal.

"Have you heard anything from Tom about Alec?"

"Yes." He set down his glass. "Everything went well. Tom said he's already feeding better, and they'll be by to pick up Opal around eight."

"Good."

"How was your appointment? How are the babies?" He motioned toward her stomach with his fork.

"They're doing great. I'll show you the pictures after dinner. We got some really good ones this time. There's a video, too."

"Can I see?" Opal questioned.

"Sure, sweet pea. Finish your dinner first."

...

Opal snuggled up beside Elizabeth on the sofa. "Can I feel the babies?"

"Yes, you can. Thank you for asking first." She took Opal's hand and placed it on her belly.

"I don't feel anything."

"Wait just a second. They'll start moving again."

They were quiet for a few moments until one of the babies shifted.

Opal laughed. "I felt that!"

"What's going on in here?" Jack came in the room with Micah on his shoulders.

"I just felt the babies move, Uncle Jack!"

"You did? Isn't it so cool?"

She nodded emphatically. "Do they ever kick each other?"

"I'm sure they do." He took a seat on the other side of Elizabeth, settling Micah in his lap. "Now, I was promised a video and some pictures."

"Just give me a second." She reached for her phone, pulling up the video. "It's not the best quality, but here they are." She held it out, making sure everyone could see the screen.

Jack was quiet as he watched, but a smile played on his lips.

"How big are they right now?"

"Just under a pound and a half, and about a foot long."

"That's little."

"Mhmm." Elizabeth nodded. "It is. They have almost four months left to get bigger, though."

"Do you see that, Micah?" Jack pointed at the screen as they continued to watch the babies wiggling around. "You're a big brother to those babies."

...

"Everything is ready in the car." Jack slung the backpack over his shoulders and lifted Micah from the ground. "Now you're absolutely sure you're okay to fly?"

"Positive, Jack." She cradled her belly. "I've talked to my doctor, and she cleared me to go. We're still over three months from my due date, and there have been no major complications. On the off chance that _something _happens while we're there, my mom is ready to get me connected with her doctor. We've got it all worked out."

"What about the morning sickness? Will the flight make it worse?"

"I don't know. Maybe." She shrugged. "If I get sick, I get sick. I have a bag of ginger candies and some crackers in my carry-on, and we can get some water or ginger ale or something for me to sip on once we're at the airport."

"Okay." He kissed her cheek and headed out to the car, buckling Micah in his seat. "I wish you didn't have the morning sickness. It's not fair that you have to deal with all these symptoms."

"It's not all bad. I get to feel them moving, which is pretty magical. So is the fact that I'm literally growing people. I'm lucky that I have that ability, because not everybody can say the same."

"I still don't understand how you do that," he kissed her softly, "see the good in everything."

"I have my moments." She touched his cheek and smiled. "Now, let's get going. We don't want to miss our flight."

A couple of hours later, they were in the air, somewhere over the Midwest. Micah sat in the seat between them, contentedly watching a video on Jack's tablet.

Jack glanced over at Elizabeth. She was gripping the armrests so tightly that her knuckles were white, and her face looked a little green.

"Beth, are you okay?"

She shook her head. "Feel sick."

They weren't experiencing turbulence, so he knew it had to be her morning sickness. He reached into his bag and grabbed a bottle of water. "Here." He passed her the bottle. "Little sips."

"Thank you." She sipped the water slowly, trying to push down the nausea. "Honey, can you reach my bag and get the crackers, please?"

"Sure." He dug around in the bag, finding the crackers she requested sitting on top of a stack of books. He chuckled. "You and your books."

"Well, I can't do too much with this belly, so I need something to keep myself occupied." She took the pack of crackers and handed one to Micah.

"Tank you, mama."

"You're welcome, little bug." She started nibbling on her own cracker. After a few minutes, the color began returning to her face.

"Feeling better?"

She nodded. "A little."

"We should be landing soon, and then we can get you to your parents' house where you can lie down."

"I haven't been put on bedrest, Jack. I don't need to be confined to the bedroom."

"Fine." He carefully leaned over Micah to kiss her cheek. "But promise me you'll take it easy? Especially if you're feeling sick."

"I promise."

...

"Well, look at you!" Grace pulled Elizabeth into a hug. "You look great!" She put her hand on Elizabeth's stomach. "How are my grandbabies?"

"Doing great." Jack stepped through the door with their bags. "We brought some ultrasound photos for you and William to see."

"Wonderful." She reached for Micah. "And how's my sweet boy?"

"Hi, gamma!"

"Let's go find your cousins. Okay?"

Jack turned toward Elizabeth after Grace walked off with their son. "Well, I see where we rank in this house."

She laughed. "I mean, Micah is very cute. I'd rank him pretty highly."

"And where do I rank?"

"That depends."

"On what?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Whether or not you carry my bags up to our room."

He kissed her cheek. "Of course."

He headed up the stairs to Elizabeth's childhood room, while she meandered into the living room to find the rest of her family.

Micah was in the middle of the living room, playing with Liam and Nicholas and his uncles, while Grace and William spoke with Viola and Julie.

"Look at you, big sister!" Julie smiled as Elizabeth stepped into the room.

"You all act like you've never seen a pregnant woman before." Elizabeth chuckled, resting her hands on her belly.

"But you're pregnant with _twins_. That's a big deal! May I?" Julie reached her hands toward Elizabeth's stomach.

"Go for it."

"When are you going to tell us whether they're boys or girls?"

"We'll tell everyone once they're out of me, so you'll just have to be patient."

...

After the Christmas Eve service, they all gathered in the living room to watch a movie together. With bellies full of hot chocolate and marshmallows, Micah, Liam, and Nicholas fell asleep beside each other in their matching Christmas pajamas.

Jack and Elizabeth excused themselves for the night. He grabbed Micah, who didn't even stir as they headed upstairs.

"Sleep tight, little man." Jack kissed Micah's forehead and lowered him into the portable crib before slipping into the bed beside Elizabeth. "It's hard to believe that next Christmas Eve, we'll be putting three kids to bed."

She took his hand and placed it on her stomach. "It's even harder to believe the girls will already be eight or nine months old by then."

He kissed her softly. "We're getting closer to meeting them. I can't wait." He scooted down and kissed her belly. "Hi, girls. Tomorrow is Christmas, so you need to let your mama get some rest tonight, okay? I love you both very much."

Elizabeth ran her fingers through his hair. "They love you very much. So do I."

He leaned up and kissed her again. "I love you, Beth."

...

Elizabeth laughed as she looked at the pile of gifts in front of her and Jack. "We left some room in our suitcases, but I don't know if we have _this much_ room."

Grace waved her off. "Don't worry about it. If you can't fit some things, we'll just have it shipped to you. Now everyone get to opening."

Half an hour later, the three boys were happily playing with their new toys, and Julie and Viola were showing off their new jewelry to each other. Meanwhile, Jack and Elizabeth were surrounded by piles of baby clothes, blankets, pacifiers, and toys.

"Mom, you do realize we're only having two babies, not ten."

"Take it from me, you can never have enough baby things."

"Apparently." Jack laughed. "Thank you, Grace and William. These are great. I don't know what half of these things are, but thanks."

Grace chuckled. "Just ask Elizabeth. She'll know what everything is."

He looked over at her, noticing she had grown quiet. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I think I'm going to lie down for a bit." She patted his leg, then carefully stood.

"Is she okay?" William questioned after she had left the room.

Jack nodded. "Her morning sickness came back, and it can hit her pretty suddenly. I'll go bring her something to drink."

...

Jack knocked on the door frame. "Beth? I brought you some ginger ale." He entered the room, setting the glass on the nightstand beside her.

"Thank you." She took a sip and groaned. "After these babies are born, I don't want anything with ginger in it for a very long time."

"I'm sorry. Maybe one of these Christmases, we'll both be feeling good." He laughed softly, brushing the hair back from her forehead.

"Oh, that's right." She smiled weakly. "Your appendix decided to come close to bursting last Christmas."

"Thank goodness I had the prettiest lady waiting for me when I woke up from surgery." He took a seat on the bed beside her, placing a hand on her stomach. "How are the girls?"

"Fine. I'm convinced they never sleep, or at least they never sleep at the same time."

"So we should be prepared to get absolutely no sleep once they're born?"

"Probably." She sighed and took his hand. "Thank you for being so wonderful, Jack. I'm sure I haven't been the easiest person to deal with lately."

He kissed her softly. "Bringing you ginger ale and crackers is really the least I can do."

"I love you, Jack Thornton."

"I love you, Beth. Merry Christmas."


	33. Chapter 33

**2 and a half months later, March**

Elizabeth stood in the doorway of the study, watching Jack type away on his computer. "Honey, come up to bed."

"In a few minutes."

"What has you up so late recently? Work?"

He glanced up at her. "I'm trying to get the next few weeks of lectures ready so I won't have to be working when the babies come. I can just upload the slides for my students."

"The dean is okay with that?" She rested her hands on her stomach.

Jack nodded. "I've already talked it all over with him. I'll work until whenever it is that you'll go into labor, and then I'm taking three weeks off so we can get settled in with the girls. I'll do some work from here, but I'll try to keep it to a minimum."

"Well, can you take a break from prepping lectures for a bit tomorrow? We need to finish getting the nursery ready."

"Of course." He glanced back at the screen. "I'll be up in a few minutes."

"Okay. Don't stay up too late."

She peeked into Micah's room on her way to bed. He was still fast asleep in his bed, Luna curled up on the rug beside him.

"Sleep well, sweet boy," she whispered, pulling the door nearly closed. "Okay, girls," she put her hands on her belly as she walked toward her room, "it's bedtime now, so I need you to relax. I know it's getting crowded in there, but mama needs sleep."

By the time Jack joined her fifteen minutes later, she was already sound asleep.

He kissed her cheek. "I love you, Beth."

...

"So," Jack crossed his arms in front of his chest as he stood in the middle of the nursery, "what still needs to be done?"

"Crib sheets need to go on the mattresses, the curtains need to be hung, and the clothes all need to be put away."

"Sounds easy enough."

"Have you forgotten just how many clothes we have for them?" She pointed at the two laundry baskets that were overflowing with little onesies and pajamas and dresses.

"I'll just let you start on that." He chuckled. "Now, does it matter which sheet goes in which crib?" He held up the two sheets. They were identical except for their colors; one was covered in gray flowers and the other in pink.

"No, it doesn't matter. They probably won't sleep in the cribs for a while, anyway."

He furrowed his brow. "Then what's the point of having the cribs ready?"

"Well, they might nap in them. I really just meant they won't spend the night in their cribs for a few months. Which reminds me, we need to make sure the bassinets are ready to go in our room. And anyway, having the cribs made up helps the room look finished. You don't want our babies to have an unfinished room, do you?"

"No, I guess not."

He slipped the sheets onto the mattresses while she set about folding all the little clothes. After putting up the curtains, Jack joined her in folding.

"It's crazy to think Micah used to be this small." He held up a tiny newborn onesie.

"I know. He's growing so fast." She put a stack of clothes into the dresser. "You know the girls will probably be quite a bit smaller than Micah was. They were measuring between five and five and a half pounds each at my last ultrasound."

"Is the doctor still thinking they'll come early?"

"Yes." She nodded as she reached for a pack of hangers. "She says I need to be prepared to go into labor any day now. It's likely they'll come before thirty-eight weeks."

"I can't believe we're so close to meeting them. It feels like just yesterday you told me you were pregnant."

"Really?" She hung a few little dresses in the closet. "To me, it feels like I've been pregnant forever."

He crossed the room and took her hands. "You're amazing, you know that? Thank you for carrying our babies."

She kissed him softly and laughed. "You don't have to thank me every time I complain about being pregnant."

"I know, but I'm so grateful." He put his hands on either side of her belly. "We're so blessed, Elizabeth. To have Micah and these girls. And each other."

She kissed him again, more deeply this time. "I love you, Jack."

"I love you, too." He rested his forehead against hers. "We should get back to putting the clothes away."

"It can wait a few minutes." She brought a hand to his cheek, her thumb brushing across the scruff on his jaw. "We should appreciate this time we have to ourselves. Micah will be up soon, and who knows when we'll get alone time again once the girls come."

He pulled away, just slightly, and kissed her temple. "Speaking of alone time, where do you want to go for our anniversary? I was thinking we could go for a nice dinner somewhere, maybe in the city."

"I'm thirty-six weeks pregnant with twins, Jack. I'm not really in the mood to get dressed up and go out. It's hard enough for me to get to work every day."

He put his arms around her. "Okay, then how about we put on our most comfortable clothes and order in?"

"That's not an anniversary celebration—especially for our first anniversary."

"Says who? We can celebrate however we want. There's no rule that says we can't stay home."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." He rubbed her belly gently. "I don't know how it feels to be pregnant, so I'm not going to force you to go out if you don't want to. We'll ask Rosemary and Lee if they can take Micah for a night, and you and I can just relax, maybe watch a movie or two."

"Thank you."

...

"Are you sure you don't want any more?" Jack motioned toward the plate of cake.

"Positive." She groaned. "The babies are taking up too much room. I can't fit any more food in there. It was delicious, though."

"So it's been a good anniversary?"

She smiled and held out her hand toward him. "It's been a wonderful anniversary so far. But it isn't over yet."

He took a seat beside her. "That's right. We still have a movie to watch. Any requests?"

"Mm, something romantic. How about _Roman Holiday_?"

"Is that one of the sad romance movies?"

"Do you want a sad romance movie? We could watch _Titanic_."

He chuckled. "No, thank you. You get weepy enough at that movie when you're _not _pregnant."

"Are you saying I'm a weepy mess?"

"No, no." He kissed her temple. "Maybe I should just stop talking."

She nudged him. "Just wait until the babies are here, and then we'll see who's the weepy mess."

Half an hour into the movie, she fell asleep on his shoulder. He left her there for a while, moving his hand slowly up and down her arm.

He placed his other hand on her belly. "Hi, girls. Are we going to meet you soon? I know you're probably running out of room in there, but you two stay in there as long as you need. Okay?"

"Mm," Elizabeth groaned as she woke. "Don't tell them that. I need them out. I can't get comfortable anymore."

"I'm sure they'll come when the time is right." He took her hands. "Let's get you to bed."

"But the movie isn't over."

He kissed her softly. "It's fine. You need rest."

"I'm sorry this hasn't been the anniversary celebration I'm sure you imagined."

"Don't apologize, Beth. It's been perfect."

She leaned into him. "I love you."

...

Just a few hours later, when the sky was still dark, Jack awoke to Elizabeth sitting upright in bed.

"Beth? Are you okay?"

"I don't know." She swung her legs over the side of the bed and carefully stood up, rubbing her belly. "That might have been a contraction."

He sat up, suddenly very awake. "_Might have been_?"

"I don't know!" She threw her hands in the air. "I've been having Braxton-Hicks contractions for a while, so it may have been another one of those."

"Shouldn't we take you to the hospital either way? You're close enough to your due date."

She paced the floor. "If this is a false alarm, they'll just send us back home. I don't want to jump the gun."

"But we could at least get you checked out."

She shot him a look. "Jack, I'm pretty sure I'm the only person in this room who's given birth before."

"You're right. I'm sorry. I'll trust your judgement."

"Thank you."

"Do you need anything? Water? Something to eat?"

"A glass of water would be good."

He got out of bed and gave her a quick kiss. "I'll be right back."

When he returned, she was leaning forward, both hands gripping the edge of the bed. He set the glass on the nightstand and moved to rub her back.

"Another one?"

"Mhmm." She had her eyes shut tight as she blew out a breath. "That one was worse."

He handed her the glass of water, and she took a few sips. "Do you want me to text Lee and see if they'll keep Micah with them for a while longer?"

She nodded. "That probably wouldn't hurt. I know I said I wasn't sure if that was a real contraction before, but the one I just had definitely was. I'm pretty sure this is it, Jack."

He grinned and pressed his lips to her forehead. "We're going to meet our babies."

...

Elizabeth groaned. "How are they still in there? I wouldn't want to be crammed in there. I'd be getting out as soon as I could."

Jack pressed his hand to her stomach. "There are only two in there. It's probably more cozy than crowded."

"It feels like there are more than two in there." She groaned again. "This is your fault. I swear, if you get me pregnant with twins ever again…"

"Technically, the fact that it's twins has nothing to do with me. Or you, even, since they're identical. I was reading up on what causes identical twins, and it's just a fluke, a random occurrence."

"Not the time, Jack." She glared at him. "If you want to be helpful, make them come out faster."

"I wish I could, Beth. I really do." He kissed her cheek.

"Can you go get me something?"

"Of course. What do you need?"

"I don't know," she huffed.

"Elizabeth."

"Jack, just please go take a walk or something. I need some space."

"Okay." He kissed her forehead. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

He stepped out of the room and walked toward the waiting room, running a hand through his hair.

"Any news?" Rosemary jumped up from her seat.

He shook his head. "She's up to eight centimeters, but no babies yet. Still waiting." He let out a harsh breath. "Was she like this when Micah was born?"

"Like what?"

"Impatient. A little snippy."

"Oh." Rosie chuckled. "A bit, but I imagine she's worse this time. It's uncomfortable enough to have one full-term baby in you, so I can't imagine how she feels with two."

"I wish there was something I could do to make things easier."

"She'll be fine once they're out. Now," she nudged him, "you should probably get back in there."

"I, uh, think I'll stay out here for a bit longer."

"She kicked you out?"

He nodded. "A little bit."

"How are you, Jack?"

"To be honest, I'm freaking out." He sank down into the nearest chair. "I'm trying to stay calm for her, but I just keep thinking about everything that could go wrong. They keep mentioning how they'll bring her to the operating room to deliver, even though she wants to do it without a C-section. It's just a lot."

Rosemary reached over and put a hand on his back. "Everything will be okay. I'm sure she and the babies are being monitored closely. Anything out of the ordinary, they'll be able to act quickly."

"I know I'm a grown man, but I really want my mom right now."

"Why don't you call her? I know she's been asking me and Lee if there are any updates."

He reached into his pocket. "Crap. My phone is in the room."

"Use mine." She rifled through her purse to find it. "Here. Do you want anything from the vending machine? I think I'm going to get a snack."

"No. Thank you."

He waited until she walked away before he found his mother's number and dialed.

"Rosemary?"

"Mom, it's me."

"Oh, Jack. How are things going? I'm so sorry I'm not there. Darn back injury."

He sighed. "How do I do this, mom? The doctors just keep saying all these things I don't understand, and I'm terrified."

"Take a deep breath, son."

He did as she said, blowing the breath out through his mouth. "She's fine, and the babies are fine, but what if that changes? Anything could go wrong."

"But chances are, everything will be alright. Put It in God's hands, Jack, and just be with her. Sometimes that's all you can do. She's in a good hospital with good doctors, and I trust that everything will go well."

"I wish you were here, mom." He wiped his eyes as tears threatened to spill over.

"I know, son. I wish I was there, too. But you're all in my prayers, and I'll be down to visit as soon as my back heals. Now, you go be with your wife, and let me know when my new grandbabies are here."

"I will. I love you, mom."

...

Jack knocked and opened the door, just a crack. "Can I come back in?"

"Yes."

He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.

"I'm sorry for kicking you out."

"It's okay. You're dealing with a lot right now."

She reached for his hand. "We're getting close. I'm at nine centimeters now, and the doctor said it's still looking like we can do this without a C-section."

"That's good." He took a seat on the edge of the bed. "I talked to my mom. She says she's praying for us and she wishes she was here."

"I wish she was here, too."

"Your parents should be close." He brushed the hair back from her forehead. "Marie and Leland are with the kids, and Lee is going to get your parents from the airport."

"I hope Micah is okay."

"He's spending a whole day with Lorelei and Leo and the grandparents. I'm sure he's in heaven." He put a hand on her belly. "You just focus on getting these girls out safely."

She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "I'm really glad you're here with me, Jack."

...

"One more push, and baby A will be with us."

"Come on, Elizabeth. One more."

She gripped his hand as tightly as she could and focused all her strength on getting her baby out into the world.

The tiny baby screamed as soon as she was out.

"A little girl with a very healthy set of lungs." The doctor chuckled and held up the baby.

Jack kissed Elizabeth's forehead. "You did it. She's here."

"Can I hold her?"

The nurse placed the baby on Elizabeth's chest. "Just for a few minutes."

The doctor let Jack cut the cord. "It shouldn't be long before the next one is ready to come. Just take this time to catch your breath and gather your strength."

Jack leaned down beside Elizabeth, looking into his daughter's face. Tears filled his eyes. "She's so beautiful, Beth. Just perfect."

They were so enthralled by the tiny little baby that they were unaware of what the doctor was seeing on the monitors.

"Okay, Elizabeth." The nurse put a hand on her shoulder. "We need to get her cleaned and weighed."

She reluctantly handed the baby over, watching as she was carried to the other side of the room.

"Elizabeth. I need you to listen to me." The doctor's voice was serious, and she waited to continue until Elizabeth met her eyes. "The monitor is showing that the other baby's heart rate is falling. I think the safest thing to do would be to get her out by cesarean."

"C-section?" Jack's eyes went wide.

The doctor nodded. "The baby is in distress. We need to get her out as soon as possible."

Elizabeth squeezed Jack's hand. "What about the other baby?"

"She'll be just fine. We'll take her to the nursery, and we'll get her back to you once the surgery is over. We need to move quickly, though."

Within minutes, Elizabeth was prepped for surgery. A sheet was hung across her chest, blocking her view as the doctors worked at delivering the second twin. Jack sat by her head, his hand on her cheek.

She looked up at him, tears filling her eyes. "I'm scared."

Though Jack was more terrified than he had been all day, he tried to stay calm for her. "Everything will be okay, love. She'll be just fine."

"She's out," the doctor spoke up.

"Why isn't she crying?" Elizabeth's voice shook with fear. "Is she okay?"

Jack looked toward the doctors. They quickly whisked the baby to the side of the room. The silence was deafening.

"What's going on, Jack? Why isn't anyone talking?"

Before Jack could answer her, a cry pierced the air.

"Oh, thank God." He leaned down and kissed Elizabeth's forehead, tears streaming down his face. "She's just fine."

A nurse carried the tiny swaddled baby over to them, letting them get a glimpse of her sweet face. "You have another healthy little girl."

"We'll just get you stitched back up, and then once you're in recovery, we'll get your girls back to you."

...

"You're amazing, Elizabeth. I can't believe these little princesses were inside of you just a few hours ago." He smiled down at the baby in his arms. "They're so beautiful. Just like their mama."

Elizabeth stroked her daughter's cheek. "They have your dimples."

"Which is which again?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "I expect you to be able to tell them apart eventually. You have Ava."

"They're barely a few hours old. How can you tell them apart already?"

She fixed the baby's hat, making the letter B visible again. "Remember? Ava is A and Claire is B."

"What happens when we take the hats off?"

Elizabeth laughed softly. "Well, I plan on keeping the hats on for as long as possible, but Claire has a little birthmark by her left ear. Right here." She touched her finger to the little mark.

He sighed contentedly. "I just can't believe they're finally here. And I'm so thankful that they're healthy. And that you're healthy, too. I've never been so scared in my life."

"Me neither."

"How are you feeling?" He met her eyes. "Are you having any pain?"

"Not too much pain, since they have me on medication. I do feel like I had all my insides pulled out of me and shoved back in, though."

"Well, you basically did. I accidentally caught a glimpse of what was happening on the other side of that sheet, and well, let's just say I'm glad I hadn't eaten in a while." He chuckled. "What a way to spend the day after our anniversary."

"But it ended with these little ones. So all in all, not a bad anniversary."

"Should we let everyone know they're here?"

"Okay." She shifted the baby in her arms, wincing a little when the movement tugged on her incision. "But can you ask them to wait a while before coming back here? I just want it to be the four of us for a bit longer."

"Of course." He kissed her and each of the babies before lowering Ava into one of the bassinets. "I'll take some pictures of the girls so they can see them."

"Send them to your mom, too."

"I will." He grabbed his cell phone and snapped a few pictures of Ava sleeping in the bassinet and Claire wide awake in Elizabeth's arms. "I'll be right back."

...

Jack stepped into the waiting room, a grin on his face. "We have two perfect little girls. Ava Elizabeth and Claire Victoria. There were some difficulties that I'm sure we'll tell you about later, but Elizabeth is doing great, and the babies are both healthy."

Grace pulled him into a hug. "Congratulations, Jack."

William clapped him on the back. "So, two daughters. Good luck with that, son!" He chuckled.

"Thank you both for being here." He wiped the tears from his cheeks, relieved and exhausted and so very happy. "Who wants to see pictures?"


End file.
